


Ours is The Fury

by dearcapnrogers



Series: Ours is The Fury [1]
Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: F/M, Original Character(s), POV Original Character
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-08-23
Updated: 2014-11-29
Packaged: 2018-02-14 09:02:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 22,420
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2185758
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dearcapnrogers/pseuds/dearcapnrogers
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Anise Baratheon is the youngest Baratheon, and the only daughter born to Steffon and Cassana Baratheon. She has the typical Baratheon look-, dark brown hair, and bright blue eyes. Growing up she preferred both needlework and swordplay, she is wild at heart and lady like. She is loved by many and hated by few, and she is very much like her brother Renly. Smart and well dressed. Many say there are two woman Robert has loved in his life, Lyanna Stark, and Anise.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Winter Is Coming

Our party was a large one full of Lannister guards, Baratheon guards, and members of the Kingsguard. Along with the royal family, Robert and I, and other members of Roberts court. Maesters and singers, and smallfolk that joined us along the way. Cersei had insisted I ride in her litter with her and her children, I refused though, knowing she didn’t want me with her, she was doing it out of courtesy. I also prefered to ride alongside Robert and our household guards and Kingsguard. I don’t trust Lannisters, or Lannister guards. And it was always fun to tease Robert.

 

Though the North was cold and windy, I was used to it. I spent most of my young life here during Robert’s Rebellion. The cold didn’t phase me and I found comfort in the wind. It blew my black hair around my face and into the air, my black cape flapped behind me and my gown billowed around my ankles.

 

Our large party rode through the gates of Winterfell. Lannister guards and Cersei’s litter were first, Robert and I, surrounded by the Kingsguard and Baratheon guards, were following. We passed smallfolk, all stood around watching our party. There were Stark bannerman stood along the walls of the keep. A Kingsguard rode in the front, followed by Lannister and Baratheon bannermen. Joffrey, one of Cersei’s mongrels, rode up front followed by his sword shield, Sandor Clegane, or more famously known as The Hound. Then were more guards, and Cersei’s litter followed by Robert and I and many members of the Kingsguard.

 

We filed into the keeps courtyard, the Stark family was lined up with their court behind them. Their maester, handmaids, septas, and guards stood behind them. Robert approached on his horse, I stayed back with the members of the Kingsguard. Robert was their king, I was his sister, it was accustom the King and Queen be recognized first.

 

I saw them bring Robert his step he needed to safely get off of his horse, and let out a chuckle as he struggled to get down. Once he got down he quickly approached Ned, and motioned for him to stand. Everyone that had formerly been kneeling followed Ned when he stood up. The entire courtyard was silent. Robert whispered something to Ned, then they both began laughing.

 

I felt myself smile, since Robert had become king, him and Ned had spent less and less time together as the years passed. Robert embraced Ned in a short hug and gave him a pat on the back, then turned to Lady Catelyn. Even after aging some years Cat was still beautiful, her bright auburn hair and her bright blue eyes were still vibrant. Robert turned back to Ned as Cersei and mongrels got out of their litter. Cersei looked like she would rather be anywhere but here, but she always looked unhappy.

 

I saw it a fit time to get of my horse after Cersei approached the Starks. Cersei gave her hand to Ned, waiting for him to kiss it, I rolled my eyes. Ned was too great for that, but Cersei couldn’t care. Cat bowed for her.

 

“Take me to your crypt. I want to pay my respects,” Robert demanded of Ned after they paid their respects to Cersei.

 

“We’ve been riding for a month, my love. Surely the dead can wait,” Cersei said, trying to coax Robert out paying his respects to his lost love.

 

Robert ignored her pleas and still demanded Ned to take him to the crypts. I too wanted to pay my respects to Lyanna and the dead and gone kings of the North. I gave the rest of the Starks a smile as I passed to catch up with Ned and Robert. The crypts had always been my favorite thing about Winterfell. All of the past Kings of The North had a statue carved in their likeness, a great direwolf by their side and old rusted greatswords across their laps. The air was cold and still, torches hung, burning on the walls. Some say there are ghosts in Winterfell, the old kings spirits live on in the ground and in the keep.

 

I walked behind Ned and Robert, there sword belts rattled, and heels clicked on the floor.

****

“Tell me about Jon Arryn,” Ned demanded after a few moments of silence.

****

I knew it was the one subject both Robert and I were dreading, we had all loved Jon dearly, and his death hit all of us hard.

 

“One minute he was fine and then.. burned right through him, whatever it was. I loved that man,” Robert answered, still looking straight ahead as we passed the tombs of the old kings of the north, I spared a look at a few. The statues carved in there likeness all had stern, hard faces, like the ice beneath the snow that coated the ground above.

****

“We all did, Robert,” I said in a calm voice from behind the two men.

 

“Aye,” Robert replied, sparring a look back at me, Ned smiled at me.

 

“He never had to teach you much, Ned. You remember me at 16?” I wasn’t around Robert when he was sixteen. I was back at Storm’s end with Stannis and Renly.

 

“All I wanted to do was crack skulls and fuck girls.” There wasn’t much of change in that, he still wanted to crack skulls and fuck girls. The only things that had changed was his weight, when he was sixteen he was actually able bodied enough to crack skulls and fuck girls.

********  
  
  
****

“That’s all you still want to do,” I chuckled, I knew Ned had wanted to say that, but ever since Robert had become king Ned always held his tongue, but I was Robert’s sister and he would never lash out at me.

****

“Watch your tongue, woman,” Robert said, but it was an empty threat, he never did anything about my japes. “Jon taught me what was what,” Robert added, turning the subject back to Jon Arryn.

 

“Aye,” Ned said, a wide smile on his face, but a stern look in his eyes.

****

“Don’t look at me like that. It’s not his fault I didn’t listen,” Both Robert and Ned were chuckling then, I let out a small laugh. We came to a stop in the middle of the hallway, stopping between two of the statues of the old kings in the north. I greatly admired the way the Northmen honored their dead, instead of burying them in the ground or putting them in tombs by themselves, they made a statue of them and buried them with their family.

 

“I need you, Ned… down at King’s Landing, not up here where you’re no use damn use to anybody.” I knew what Robert was about to do, I was afraid he was going to push it off until the day we left, and I was afraid Ned would refuse him because he would have to leave most of his family here, far away from him.

 

“Lord Eddard Stark, I would name you Hand of The King,” Ned seemed shocked, but a few moments later he bowed on one knee and looked at the dirt packed ground.

****

“I’m not worthy of the honor,” that was a lie, no one but Ned was worthy of being by Robert’s side, ruling the realm, I would have him rather than some Lannister scum.

****

“I’m not trying to honor you. I’m trying to get you to run my kingdom, while I eat, sleep and whore my way into an early grave.” I rolled my eyes and scoffed at that, but it was true that most Hand’s did the ruling while the kings ate, slept, and whored themselves.

“Damn it, Ned. Stand up,” Robert demanded, patting Ned on the shoulder.

“You helped me win the Iron Throne, now help me keep the damn thing.”

******  
******

“Ned, no one else in the seven kingdoms is worthy of this than you. Just bloody accept it before Cersei plants her fathers ass, or her own ass beside Robert,” I stated, saying what Robert wouldn’t.

****

“Bloody hell, Anise. But she has a point, Ned. We were meant to rule, together. If your sister had lived, we’d have been bound by blood. Well, it’s not too late. I have a son, you have a daughter. We’ll join our houses,” I knew Robert meant for Sansa to marry Joffrey. I thought it was a terrible idea, Joffrey is a little monster, and Sansa is sweet little dove, she deserved better. All of Cersei’s children were incest riddled monsters, and Cersei had killed the only child Robert ever had. Before Ned could respond Robert continued walking down the long tomb passing many and more of the tombs of old kings in the north.

****

“Ned, that is a bad idea, don’t marry Sansa to Joffrey, I have seen first hand how much of a monster that boy is. Don’t do it,” I said, grabbing Ned’s arm before following behind Robert.

****

Lyanna had her own tomb, with her own statue. It was uncommon for a single member of one family to have their own tomb and statue, unless it was the king in the north at the time, but Lyanna had been special to everyone. Lyanna had been beautiful, and her statue did her great justice, even old as it was, it still showed her beauty. Unlike the rest of the northerners Lyanna had had a beautiful, soft, delicate face.

 

Ned and I stood back to give Robert his moment. He pulled a feather from sleeve and placed it in Lyanna’s outstretched hand. Robert had never loved anyone so much as he loved Lyanna, though most people said he loved me as much as he loved her.

****

“Why did you bury her in a place like this? She should be on a hill somewhere, with the sun and clouds above her,” Robert’s voice was strained, I knew talking about Lyanna hurt Robert more than anything.

****

“She was my sister. This is where she belongs,” Ned answered, his hands clasped in front of him, and he hung his head.

****

“I know you would have it your way if you could Robert, she had wolfsblood though, her place is in the north, this is where she would have wanted to be,” I added, trying to console Robert, but I was too blunt.

****

“She belonged with me,” he said, still looking into her stone eyes. He placed his hand on her chin before he continued. “In my dreams, I kill him every night,” he was referring to Rhaegar, no one hated the Targaryens more than Robert, because they took his one true love.

****

“It’s done, Your Grace. The Targaryen’s are gone,” Ned said, not knowing what else could be said.

****

“Not all of them,” Robert replied, taking his hand from Lyanna’s stone chin and placing it back at his side.

* * *

After our visit to the crypts I decided to explore the keep, it would be nice to get away from Cersei and her mongrels, and I had missed Winterfell. I started with the main keep, where all the Starks stayed. I explored the hallways and checked some of the rooms. I chatted with a few of the guards I found along the way. The main keep was warm, it had been built above a hot spring, the hot water ran through the walls, letting the heat radiate off the walls.

As I walked through the keep, I stopped to talk to the many guards that patrolled the halls.

“Hello there!” I smiled, and gave him a small wave, he bowed his head when I stopped in front of him. “Lady Baratheon, an honor to meet you.”

“The honor is mine, I assure you.” I smiled sweetly at him and could see his cheeks redden. I nodded to him and continued on my way.

 

Leaving the keep, I made my way through the yard, once more stopping to greet the people I saw along the way. The air had a chill to it but the afternoon sun was out and shining through the clouds. The sun glimmered off the practice swords the young boys were using.

“Good day, ser.” I said to a young boy, a practice sword in his hand, covered with a padded leather jerkin. Though the practice swords were blunt, some where hard enough to break bone and cause serious damage. That is if the man swinging it was strong enough. The young boy smiled up at me and I knelt to his height.

“I’m not a knight, m’lady!” The boy said, a wide smile on his face, some of his teeth were missing and he had messed up brown hair. His eyes were a bright green and so full of life.

“I know, you’re far too young for that. But, one day you will be! I can already tell! Look at how strong you are!” I chuckled, patting the boys arm. He smiled bashfully showing his teeth, and the few missing, and I stood back up.

“Now, on your way, lad. Go say hello to your mother for me!” He nodded and ran off, hopefully in the direction of his mother or father. I continued on my way through the yard looking up at the towers every so often. Some of the towers were old, stones were missing from the tops, there was one that had the top collapsed in. There were a few, old and covered in moss and weeds, but they were nothing but old ruins.  I saw a child climbing down one of them and I stopped and stood by the bottom, looking up at the boy. I felt my hair brush my shoulders as it fell back when I tilted my head up. . I wanted to make sure he’d make it down alright. When he finally landed on the ground with a thud from jumping the last few steps, I recognized him as Brandon Stark, one of Lord Stark’s sons.

****  
  
****

“You’re quite the climber, aren’t you?” I said, kneeling down to his height. I gave him a big smile, I used to be like him growing up. Always exploring, climbing tower walls and high trees. I would investigate the old tower ruins on the outside of the keep walls. Bran nodded, almost shyly.

“I am, my lady. My mother says I shouldn’t climb. She says it’s dangerous.” Stannis always felt that way about me climbing, he was against it and always demanded I take a guard with me everywhere I went.  

“Oh, it is. But, you seem so at home on those walls. Don’t worry, I won’t tell Lady Stark.” I knew he was safe from harm, with all the guards posted around the walls, and towers, someone would see him before he fell.

“Thank you, Lady Baratheon!” Bran left, heading toward another wall to climb, and I made my way in the direction of the godswood.

 **  
**Some found the heart trees to disturbing or scary, I found them to be a thing of wonder and beauty. The white smooth bark of the trees, and the shocking red leaves were beautiful, especially in the afternoon soon when the sun was shining on the puddles and the wind was rustling the leaves.  I remembered the heart tree that stood there and I wanted to say a prayer to the Old Gods. Robert, Renly, and Stannis were worshippers of the Seven, but I had always preferred the Old Gods to the new. A godswood always seemed more peaceful than a sept.

Septs were filled with smoke, and people bustling in and out. Godswoods were peaceful, and much more calming and free than a sept.

****

The great heart tree greeted me as soon as I entered the godswood. It stood in the very center of the Godswood, a puddle in front of it, and fallen leaves covered the ground around the roots. The face carved into the side was weeping, as they all seem to do, and I went over to it. There was a stone bench in front of the tree and I sat there, bowing my head in prayer. There was a Godswood at Kings Landing, but most looked down on you if you visited it instead of the Sept. I rarely got a chance to visit the Godswood and say my prayers to the Old Gods. I feared the Old Gods also had a very small presence in Kings Landing.

****

“If any of you are listening to me, please hear this. Keep my brothers safe. I could not bear to lose any of them, not when the pain of Mother and Father is still fresh in my mind. Please, watch over Robert. He drinks far too much and I worry about his health. Please, watch over Renly. He leads a life that is different from many others in Westeros and I worry that someone may attack him someday because of his preferences. Please, watch over Stannis. He is strong-willed, but I fear for him all the same. I worry that he will get himself killed, simply for saying the wrong thing at the wrong time. I beg of you, watch over my brothers.” I raised my head just as a light breeze ran through the leaves of the heart tree. I smiled, knowing that it was a sign from the Old Gods. Those that did follow the Old Gods said they answered prayers with signs, rather than actions, and I knew they had heard my prayer. I sat in the Godswood a few more moments. listening to the wind whisper in the trees and leaves rustling.

* * *

When the sun began to got down I was told I should get ready for the feast the Starks had prepared for us. The Starks had provided me a room befit the king’s sister. They were large, a feather bed stacked with furs and throws. I had my own bath chamber as well, a hearth and a dressing table. My own guard escorted me to my room and I saw a Baratheon guard and a Kingsguard was posted outside my door, Robert’s doing clearly. Since I had joined Robert in Kings Landing he had demanded I have my own personal guard to follow me as well as a Baratheon guard and Kingsguard to guard my chambers and assure my safety.

****

My personal guard was one I had known since I was but a child. He was the guard that guarded me when I was adventuring and climbing. The only man other than my brothers that I trusted with my life. He was Ser Slean of house Camblewick, a small but noble house from Storms End. He was a young green boy when he first became my guard, but he grew old as I grew old. Ser Slean opened my bed chamber door for me, both the Kings guard and Baratheon guard bowed their head before I entered my chambers.

****

A fire was lit in the hearth and Robert had his fat ass sat in a chair beside it. A flagon of wine was sat on the table in front of him, and a plate of cheese and meat was half gone. I rolled my eyes and excused Ser Slean.

 

“Anise, you’re supposed to kneel before your king.”  Robert said once the door was closed.

 

“You’re my brother. I won’t kneel before you, Robert. You should know that by now.”  I answered, taking the seat beside him by the fire. The room was warm from the hot springs under the keep, but the fire was nice. I smiled teasingly at Robert, looking over at him as he chugged another glass of wine.

 

“Besides, you wouldn’t be able to see me if I kneeled. Your belly is too big, brother.”

 

“You damn brat. You’re worse than my own children.” I scoffed, being compared to those little monsters was the worst disgrace that could ever be laid upon me.

 

“Do not compare me to them. And, so far as I know, your children have never called you fat. I believe I am the only one to do so.” Even Ned would not say it, but he would say it with his eyes, when Robert made a jape at him. Ned was the only that still respected Robert’s power as King.

 

Robert simply smiled at me and took another large gulp of wine.

 

“When you and Lord Stark were laughing earlier, did he call you fat? Because, you have been getting larger, brother.”  I said, pouring myself a glass of wine. The Northern wine was thick and strong, but better than the all the wine in White Harbor and Dorne.

 

“Oh, shut up. You should respect your king.”  He grumbled, slamming his glass down on the table.

 

“As I said, you are my brother. I will tease you as much as I wish. I know you will never harm me, even if you are the king.”  I patted Robert’s hand that was sat on the arm of the chair, and gave him a smile. All my brothers loved me, no matter how powerful any of them became they would never harm me. None of them had never laid a harmful hand on me.

 

“Damn, you’re right. I suppose I got attached to you. It’s too late to get rid of you now, sister.” He laughed, Robert’s laughs were loud and hardy, they always brightened a room even on the darkest of days in the darkest of hours.

 

“Stannis and Renly would have your head if you got rid of me.”  Stannis and Renly would launch wars if Robert were to harm me, even though they despised each other, one thing they agreed on was that I must always be safe.

 

“Does no one respect my power as their king?”

 

“No. Maybe Ned.” Ned, even though he was a lifelong friend of Robert’s, he still respected him.

 

“You damn brat.”

 

“Get out of my room, Robert. I need to change for the feast.” Robert struggled out of his seat, gave me a kiss on the forehead and left my room, Ser Slean entered after he left.

****

 

“Ser Slean, fetch Arianne,” I demanded, standing my own chair and walking over to my dressing table.

****

“Yes, m’lady,” Ser Slean had a stern, but old voice, but it was calming to me. He bowed and left my room, leaving the door open. I sat on the cushioned bench in front of my dressing table and my my long brown hair out. My hair was thick, like all Baratheons, but it was soft and long. I hadn’t cut my hair for years, as long hair was common in the royal court.

****

Ser Slean returned with my hand maid Arianna, she was the handmaid appointed to me by Robert when I first joined him in Kings Landing. She was older than me by a few years, but beautiful.

****

“Ser Slean, you may stay. I enjoy your company,” I motioned for him to take a seat by the fire as he went to leave.

****

“Yes, m’lady,” he bowed and took the seat I was previously sitting in.

****

“How are you enjoying the north Ser?” I questioned as Arianna began on my hair.

****

“Much colder than I am used to, I must admit,” he answered, placing his helm in his lap, his shield by his feet.

****

“Ah, yes. The north is cold even in the summer, even colder in the winter.”

****

“I have been told many men perish in the north when winter hits,” he answered, giving me a questioning look.

****

“Those not custom to the weather will perish soon, the ones used to it may perish later, or by any chance even survive,” I explained, though I myself had never been in the North during the winter.

****

“Do you know when we will be returning to Kings Landing?” Arianna pulled my hair into small braids, leaving a thick layer of it down, and pulled them back, weaving them together then placing small white flowers in the knots.

****

“I do not, we leave upon Robert’s command. It looks beautiful Arianna,” I said, smiling back at Arianna once she finished.

 

 

“Ser, please leave us, I must dress now,” Ser Slean tucked his helm under his arm, and put his shield on his other arm, then bowed.

 

“Of course, m’lady. I will wait outside for you.”

****

“M’lady do you wish to wear the gown you had made special for the feast?” Arianna asked, opening my chest, that had been brought up by Ser Slean, but not opened until now.

****

“Yes, that is why I had it made,” Arianna helped me dress, then laid a silver necklace on my neck, and placed a ring in the shape of a wolf’s head on my hand.

****

“You look beautiful, m’lady,”

“All with your help Arianna,” I gave her a kiss on the cheek and dismissed her.

The sun had went down by the time I was ready, and the feast was about to begin. I meet Ser Slean outside my chambers, he was to escort me to the feast in the great hall, along with the Baratheon guard and Kings Guard.

The yard was still bustling with people, smallfolk, and servants were rushing around, in and out of the great hall. The great hall itself was stuffy, full of candle smoke, and people. Serving girls with trays were running back and forth, dogs running by their ankles.  It seemed as though they had emptied out all of their cellars to feed everyone at the feast. There were different meats piled high on every table, vegetables, and other dishes were laid out. Wine, ale, numerous other drinks were being served.

The feast had been going for awhile when I had decided to join them, Robert was not sitting on the dais, only Cersei, and Catelyn were still sitting, and empty beside Cersei was meant for me. Out of courtesy to Catelyn I decided to say hello to her, knowing she went through a lot of trouble to put the feast together. I didn’t see Ned, and I knew it was likely he was trying to hide from everyone, including Robert.

I walked up the steps to my seat, said hello to Catelyn, as I took my seat by Cersei. Cersei didn’t acknowledge me, I saw she was watching Robert, he was groping some whore surrounded by numerous people.

"Good evening, Cersei. You look lovely. That dress helps to hide your stomach, you’re beginning to resemble Robert." I said as I poured myself a glass of wine.

 

"I’m not entirely sure why you are sitting next to me, Lady Baratheon. You are not royalty, are you? You should be down there, with the rest of the common people." I chuckled at her poor attempt to hurt me.

 

“I was royalty before you were even married to my brother. Even though you’re married to Robert, I’m still more powerful than you,” I said to her in a whisper, Cersei cut me a rude glare as I stood from my chair.

 

"Oh, Cersei, you poor dear. Are you jealous that Robert loves me more than he loves you? That he loves a dead woman more than he loves his own wife?" I said to her before I excused myself.

 

I didn’t get a chance to talk to the Stark kids when we arrived, and I saw this as an opportune chance. I found the eldest daughter Sansa at one of the tables along with many other girls.

 

"That is a lovely dress, Sansa. It’s so beautiful." I could tell it was made by her though, but she had more talent than me with a needle.

 

"Thank you, Lady Baratheon. I sewed it myself." Sansa replied, looking up at me, a bright smile on her face, her eyes so full of life.

 

"That is very impressive, Lady Stark! I couldn’t sew a dress when I was your age. I’m sure I could now, but I was much more interested in climbing and swordplay when I was younger." I chuckled, patted Sansa’s hand and moved on.

 

I spotted the youngest daughter, Arya. She was nothing like Sansa, she was a wild child, like I was when I was her age. She was an odd kind of beauty, not like her sister who had a pretty face and pretty hair. Arya was beautiful, but the kind of beauty that stayed hidden.

 

“Well, you must be Arya,” I said stopping in front of where she was sitting.

 

“Well, yes,” she replied, she was nothing like her sister. She didn’t use common courtesies, but she seemed proud.

 

“You know who you remind me of?” I questioned, leaning down so she could hear me better.

 

“No, who?” She may be proud, but she was also curious, I could see it in her eyes when she answered me.  

 

“Your fathers sister, Lyanna. They say she had wolfs blood, she was wild. I can tell you have a bit of the wolf blood in you, as well. Lyanna was a lovely woman, and a fierce one. And I can see that you will grow to be just like her.” I mussed up her hair, and she gave me a wide smile. I walked my way down to where the boys were seated and found Robb, the eldest son.

 

"Hello there. You’re Robb, correct?" I asked, leaning on the table beside him, he turned his head to look at me.

 

"I am, my lady." He was quite handsome, he looked much like a young Ned, chiseled features, and the curly brown hair.

 

"I had heard that Lord Eddard’s eldest son was handsome. The stories were true." I said, a flirtatious tone to my voice.

Robb smiled at me, but he showed no signs of embarrassment. He was a charmer.

 

"Well, thank you, my lady. You are quite beautiful, yourself." He had a mischievous twinkle in his eyes, and I found myself being reminded of a young Robert.

 

"You look very strong as well. I suppose you do quite well in the practice yard." Most people don’t know that I was a regular a swordplay growing up, rather than practicing sewing like I should’ve.

 

Robb’s chest puffed out and he grinned proudly, the boy had a big ego, for sure. He was proud, like his father.

 

"I do, indeed, my lady."

 

A teasing smile made its way onto my face. I might be a bit rusty on my swordplay, but Robb was still a young, summer child.

 

"I wager I could beat you." Robb seemed shocked at my proposal and the proud grin he previously had dropped from his face.

 

"I highly doubt that, my lady." He replied, instead of the mischievous hint he had before, his voice was nothing but serious.

 

"We will have to see about that, won’t we?"  It was not uncommon for men to doubt my strength just because I’m a woman. Stannis always tried to talk me out of practicing swordplay when we were younger, he would always say that I was too weak, I did in the end prove him wrong though.

 

The young Rickon was not at the feast, probably in bed. I saw Bran, but I had talked to him earlier that day and I decided to go outside for a breath of fresh air. I walked down of the dais, and made  my way past numerous people, some were servers, others smallfolk bustling around or dancing.

 

The sound of music and shouting faded as I walked out into the yard to hear the sound of a sword bashing on something. I followed the sound and found myself in the practice yard, a young man was practicing with a sword, bashing the target.

 

“Why are you out here? Shouldn’t you be at the feast?” I inquired, leaning on the wooden post the bared of the targets and the practice yard.

 

“Wouldn’t want to insult the damned royal family by placing a bastard among them.” The young man continued to beat the target, not caring who was talking to him. I felt myself smile, knowing he didn’t know who I was.

 

“I believe you would be interested in knowing that I am part of the royal family.” The young man whirled around to face me finally, I recognized him. Ned’s bastard son, Jon Snow.

 

“Apologies, my lady. I didn’t know.” Jon bowed his head, as if ashamed at what he said.

 

“It’s perfectly fine. There is no need to apologize.” I reassured him, giving him a soft smile. Jon lifted his head to look up at me. His eyes were a dark brown, his hair was black and curly, some ringlets had fallen in his face. They say bastards mature quicker, this boy was one case of that. He already had muscle, perhaps from swordplay. His face was already matured, with chiseled features.

 

“I had always heard that Robb was Lord Eddard’s most handsome son. It seems as though the people who tell that story have never seen you.” I smirked seeing Jon was starting to blush a bright red.

“And the way you swing that sword...you are very strong, aren’t you?”  I took a step forward, close enough to just barely touch his arm, my fingertips grazed the leather material of his jerkin, then I dropped my hand back to my side.

 

“I suppose so, my lady.” I knew he was starting to get flustered, his face was turning redder every second, and he was clutching the pommel of his practice sword tighter than necessary.

 

“I’ve always liked strong men.” I whispered, leaning in close to him. I let my eyes continue to wander over his body, there was so much of him to take in.

 

“You’re very handsome, and strong. I like you.” I whispered in a sultry voice, leaning closer to him, I was closer to his face. I could feel the heat radiating off of him. Jon still made no move, he stood there, with me mere inches from his face, his face was still getting redder and was still clutching the pommel of his practice sword, he stood stock still, like he was in shock. We stood like that for a few moments, when I heard a small groan from somewhere behind me. I backed away from Jon and looked back to see Tyrion stepping out of the shadows.

******  
******

“You’re frightening the boy, Lady Baratheon. I doubt he’s been exposed to the brand of charm you employ.”  Tyrion said, now standing by the post I was previously leaning on.

 

“Ah, perhaps you’re right, Lord Tyrion.” I answered, smirking back at Jon, who’s face was still red, but he had let up on the pommel of his sword.

 

“My apologies if I made you uncomfortable. I have always been one to go after what I desire.” I once again leaned closer to Jon, using my sultry voice again, ignoring Tyrion standing behind us.

 

“I had better go. My brother is most likely searching for me, and I would hate to disappoint my kingly brother. Perhaps I will see you again. It’s Jon, isn’t it?” Jon nodded in response, too flustered to form words, I smiled leaned in and kissed his cheek.

 

“Oh and Tyrion, don’t scare the boy,” I said as I began to walk away, back to the great hall. I heard the practice sword clatter to the ground a few seconds later and I chuckled to myself knowing he had been stood stock still for nearly five minutes and he could only relax after I was gone.

 

I walked back into the great hall, refreshed from the fresh air. The music was still playing, people were still drinking and eating. Serving girls were rushing around, filling cups and plates, and dogs were barking and begging for scraps. Robert was well past being drunk, and when he spotted me walking past him he grabbed me and demanded I dance with him.

 

“Anise, you beautiful girl!” Robert was well past drunk if he actually complimented me, I stopped in front of him and gave him a questioning look.

 

“Yes, my dear brother?” I asked, slightly humorous as he was drunk, and almost stumbling over his feet.

 

“Come dance with your king!” I rolled my eyes and sighed, but stepped in and began dancing with him. It was clumsy and embarrassing, Robert was terribly drunk and I had never liked dancing. Robert was so fat and drunk, his stomach kept bumping into me and making me stumble back.

 

“Brother, your stomach keeps knocking me back. You really should stop eating so much.” I teased, knowing there was no way in hell Robert would stop eating and drinking.

****

“Nonsense!” He bellowed in response, still stumbling over his feet, attempting to dance with me. Robert once more bumps into me, and I groan, then start laughing.

 

“Robert, my dear brother, I believe you’ve had a bit too much to drink.” I say, still laughing, Robert was not going to give up on dancing with me. I spotted Cersei, still sitting in her spot with Catelyn. She was glaring at me, clearly unhappy Robert, her own husband, would dance with me, but not dance with her.

****

“No, my dear sister, you haven’t had **enough** to drink!” Robert only ever called me that when he was drunk. When he started referring to as ‘my dear sister’, I knew he had had enough to drink for one night. Robert tripped and fell against me. I called the guards over, telling them to escort the king to his chambers. If I had left him alone Cersei would leave him own his own and allow him to hurt himself.

 

Knowing Robert would be safe I decide to leave for my own chambers. I watched the guards drag Robert from the great hall, then left as well. The yard was empty and silent, the wind was whistling through the trees, and blowing my hair into my face, and billowing my gown around my ankles. It was a peaceful walk to tower where my chambers were located. I walked down the main hall, I was the only one in the hall till I reached the staircase. I spotted a familiar head of dark curls and felt myself smirk as I approached him.

 

“Well, well, if it isn’t Jon Snow.” I said as I approached, a smirk still on my face.

 

“Evening, my lady. I was just on my way to my room.” He replied, his face started turning red, and he started fumbling with his hands.

 

“And I was on my way to my own. Such a shame I’ll have to sleep in there alone. The bed will be oh so lonely.” I smirked once again, sighed and began walking up the staircase, sure to sashay my hips.

* * *

The next morning I woke up, ate with Ser Slean, we talked about when I was younger, I didn’t remember much, but he remembered almost all of my childhood. I dressed with Arianna’s help. I dressed in a green, woolen gown, the inside was lined with dark brown wolf fur. The collar, sleeves, and the underpart of my skirts were intricately embroidered with leaves and vines. I had a cloak of brown wolf fur over my dress, it matched the inside of my dress, clasped with a goldens stag head. My boots were old brown riding boots, lined with brown fur like my cloak and dress. Earlier that day I went with Sansa and picked flowers in the Flower Garden. The Flower Garden was a beautiful place and I enjoyed how warm it was. I still held the flowers I had collected in my hands, though most had withered and dried now.

 

I stood on the balcony above the practice yard, Ser Slean and a Baratheon guard stood close behind me. Robb and Jon were practicing, and I couldn’t help but check Jon out. Not only was he attractive, but I found it amusing how nervous he got when I watched him or talked to him. Robb was attractive as well, but I didn’t find it amusing to watch him. Robb knew he was handsome, and had a bit of an ego.

 

Robb was smiling at me as he and Jon practiced, but Jon saw it as an opportunity to over power Robb, since he was distracted. He bashed Robbs arm with the practice sword. I knew first hand how painful practice swords were. But Robb didn’t seem fazed, or rather he was putting up a facade to seem tough.

 

“That was a nice hit, Jon Snow. It looks as though you certainly know how to use your muscles.” I said leaning over the railing so he could see me, I smirked when I saw his face had turned red and his muscles looked rigid.

 

He stumbled backwards, but caught himself before he fell. But Robb saw Jon’s fumble and took advantage of it, and beat Jon. Jon fell down on his back, it was a shame that Robb could get the bastard boy on his back with a practice sword, but I couldn’t with just my looks.

 

Robb clearly thought I was distracting Jon for him, he looked up and smiled at me. I smiled back and winked at him.

 

“I greatly appreciate your help, Lady Baratheon, but I am perfectly capable of beating Snow without you.” Robb shouted up at me, stepping back to allow Jon to get to his feet. I raise my eyebrow, curious if he could have actually beat Jon.

 

“Oh, really. I never would have guessed. It seemed as though Jon had you beaten, well, until he stumbled.” I said, a smirk found it way onto my face as I looked back at Jon and winked.

 

Robb clearly knew what I was doing to his brother, he smirked up at me when he saw the wink. Though on my part, I wasn’t doing much to hide it.

 

“Careful, Lady Baratheon. People may begin to believe to you’re lusting after my brother.” Robb laughed while saying this, knowing if anyone paid enough attention to us, there was no maybe about it, I was after the bastard boy.

“And what if I am?” I smirked down at Robb and Jon as they put up their practice swords and took of their practice armour.

 

Before either could reply, noise broke out across the practice yard, people that were once quiet were loudly talking, and Robb ran back to the main keep.

 

I looked back at Ser Slean for and explanation, he stepped forward, parting from the side of the Baratheon guard that stayed posted behind me.

 

“M’lady, Bran Stark has fallen from the top of one of the old towers.”

 

********  
  
  
  


********  
  
  



	2. The Kingsroad

I stood by the dog kennels with the Hound and the little monster Joffrey, Tyrion was passed out on the hay beside the dogs. One of the dogs was licking his hand, and we were all holding back laughter. Tyrion had gotten beyond drunk, and had clearly passed out on the closest thing to a bed he could find. Tyrion looked up at us, dazed, and hungover. He managed to push himself up off the pile of hay, flinging off the hay that was stuck to his clothes.

“Better looking bitches than you’re used to, uncle,” Joffrey said, a grimace on his face, that was almost always there. Most people considered Joffrey to be a handsome lad, but because I know he is a monster, I see him as nothing but hideous.

“My mother’s been looking for you,” Tyrion groaned, him and Cersei had a terrible relationship, but that was mostly Cersei’s fault. She looked down on him because he was a dwarf, and she believed he was the one that shamed the Lannister name.

“We ride for Kings Landing today,” the little mongrel spoke up once more, I rolled my eyes and almost groaned, but refrained. Today we left to Kings Landing, I dreaded it. I would be crammed back into the Red Keep with Cersei nagging me and insulting me when Robert wasn’t around.

“Before you go, you will call on Lady Stark and offer her your sympathies,” Tyrion said, pointing at Joffrey. Tyrion picked the hay off of his face and walked out of the dog kennel. Joffrey backed up, and I stepped away.

“What good will my sympathies do now?” I rolled my eyes, Joffrey was as dimwitted as he was hideous. Sandor stood by my side, still leaning on the fence of the dog kennel.

"Just go, you little brat." I snapped, knowing Tyrion was the last person Joffrey would listen to. Joffrey turned to look at me, he had that same scowl on his face, but he looked shocked as well.

 

"You cannot speak to me that way! I am the future king!" Joffrey shouted at me, trying to intimidate me, but I found a bird to be more intimidating than this little mongrel. I scoff and a scowl as I leaned down to his height, getting in his face.

 

"Well, right now, you're my nephew. And you will listen to my orders, just as you should listen to your Uncle Tyrion." I said, glaring at him, with venom in my tone. I knew I was not related to this monster, we bore no resemblance, but I dare not speak it, in fear it would be heard by the wrong person, and considered treason.

 

“Offering your sympathies won’t help, but it is expected of you, your absence has already been noted.” Tyrion, unlike me, sometimes tried to help Joffrey. If Joffrey were to one day be King, he would be terrible without true help. But I fear the only help the boy would ever get would probably be from Cersei.

 

Since Bran Stark’s fall Joffrey, nor any of the other Lannisters had cared to pay their sympathies to any of the Starks, I myself was one of the first to do so after his fall. I had talked to the lad, he was young and no one deserves such a tragedy so early in life.

 

“The boy means nothing to me, and I can’t stand the wailing of women.” I was deeply disturbed by that, he was to marry Ned’s dear Sansa, and Joffrey was nothing but cruel and evil. I feared for the girl. Joffrey looked back at Sandor, expecting some kind of remark from him, but Sandor only looked at the boy and looked away.

 

Tyrion was silent a moment, he then did something I had wanted to do the moment Joffrey had learned to talk. He slapped him across the face, so hard it echoed through the yard. Joffrey whimpered, and held his face, Sandor made no move to help me. I held back my laughter as best I could, but a few broken laughs managed to make there way through my shut lips.

 

“One word, and I’ll hit you again,” Tyrion said as Joffrey looked up at him. Tyrion sounded as he did not care he had just smacked the heir to the Iron Throne, and I loved it.

 

“I’m telling mother!” Joffrey shouted, but Tyrion was not phased and slapped the boy again, like he said he would. Joffrey’s only security was Cersei, Robert would do nothing if he caught word of this, nor would I do anything about it now.

 

“Go! Tell her,” Tyrion shouted, knowing Cersei wouldn’t do anything except hate Tyrion even more.

 

Joffrey was panting, and glaring at Tyrion, but he paid no mind, I stood back beside Sandor, my hands clasped in front of me, a smirk on my lips.

 

“But first, you will go to Lord and Lady Stark, and fall on your knees in front of them, and tell them how very sorry you are, that you are at their service, and that all your prayers are with them. Do you understand?” Tyrion demanded, trying to make the boy listen to him.

 

“You can’t-” Tyrion slapped him again, and I almost laughed out loud, but I refrained myself once more and spared a look towards Sandor who seemed to not care one bit that Tyrion was hitting the boy he was commanded to guard.

 

“Do you understand?” Tyrion demanded once more, still trying to Joffrey to listen to him.

 

It seemed Joffrey finally got the message, he walked away towards the keep, Sandor stayed behind and watched the boy go.

 

“The Prince will remember that, Little Lord,” Sandor said in almost a whisper, I looked up at him as he spoke. Sandor was in no way a comely man, half his face burnt leaving it scarred and deformed, a large chunk of his hair missing. He was a very bestial and inconsiderate of others feeling  and always voiced his opinion, and I respected that.

 

“I hope so. If he forgets, be a good dog and remind him.” Tyrion said, then walked away, or more like waddled away.

 

I looked up at Sandor, he was watching Tyrion waddle away, no trace of emotion on his face.

 

"I'm surprised that you allowed Lord Tyrion to strike the prince 3 times, and call you a dog. You're a terrible guard dog, Sandor." I smirked at him, and he turned to look down at me. He was an intimidating man, but he wouldn’t lay a hand on me. He was a smart man, though most people may not think that, but he wouldn’t dare touch the King’s sister.

 

"The little shit deserved everything he got. Don’t call me a guard dog, you bitch.” Sandor snapped at me, then stalked away.

 

I smirked at him as he walked away, he may be rude but he amazing. One of the few people that agreed with me that all of Cersei’s children were mongrels. I skipped the breakfast in the hall, knowing only the Lannister’s were there. I wouldn’t have minded just Jaime and Tyrion, but Cersei and her children were unwanted company.

 

I walked to the Godswood, I passed guards and other folk, I told most hello, and gave them a smile.

 

The Godswood was calm and quiet, the only sounds were the leaves rustling, and wind whistling through the trees. Birds were perched on high and low branches, singing the song of the morning. I sat on the bench in front of the heart tree, my skirts brushed the ground, and leaves crunched under my feet. I clasped my hands in prayer, looked up at the bright red leaves of the heart tree and began my prayer.

“Gods above, please watch over the Stark children. Robb is cocky, arrogant, and that could very well get him into trouble one day. Sansa is very kind and sweet but my idiot brother is trying to have her marry Joffrey and I worry for that poor girl’s safety. Arya, she’s got a touch of the wolf blood. I don’t want her to go out the way that her aunt did. Keep that girl safe. And Bran, oh, Bran. Falling from that tower… Please, let him awaken. Let him live. Do not take him. Not yet. He is so young, he has so much left to live for. Let him stay here. Rickon, he’s a wild one, just like that wolf of his. Watch out for that boy. And Jon...that idiot is going to The Wall. Determined to join the Night’s Watch, that one. Don’t let him die up there.”  Now was not a time for people to be wild, a war was coming, it was not safe for people to be themselves anymore, I truly worried about anyone that I truly cared for. The leaves rustled around my feet, and wind blew through the trees. I smiled, the Old Gods had heard my prayer for the Starks. I gathered my skirts, and went to leave the Godswood when a familiar face joined me in the peace and quiet.

The black haired bastard was dressed all in black, a sword on one hip and a dagger on the other.

 

“I do love running into you, Jon Snow, but I can’t help but think you’re following me with how often we see each other.” I said, I gave him a smirk and clasped my hands in front of me, the soft material of my dress brushed my hands.

 

“I-I would never, my lady.” He stuttered, his cheeks began to turn a bright red, like the leaves of the heart tree. I reached up at touched his cheek, my fingertips barely touching his face, but I could feel the warmth of his cheeks. I laid my hand on his face, and put an insulted look on my face and looked the boy in the eyes.

“Oh, I am not beautiful enough for you to follow?” I feigned being hurt, I found an enjoyable past time to mess with the boy, he got flustered so easily.

 

“No, of course not. I mean, yes you are, my lady, but I would never do such a thing!” His cheeks flushed, and a look of concern flashed in his eyes.

 

“Relax, Snow, I was joking.” I chuckled and dropped my hand from his cheek, letting it fall back to my side.

 

Jon let out relieved breath, and gave me a small smile but the redness returned to his cheeks. I looked the boy over, he was younger than me, but taller. He was dressed in all black, aside from his cloak. Black was his color, black made his ice blue eyes look more life like.

 

“All black? You’re very intent on becoming a brother of the Night’s Watch, aren’t you?” I questioned, smiling up at the boy, it wasn’t a teasing smile or smirk, just a genuine smile.

 

Jon nodded, and gave me a cute little smile. Jon was like his father, an honorable man. I knew he was trying to prove his honor by serving the Night’s Watch, but the Night’s Watch was not considered a noble group today. Bastards, rapers, and thieves served the Night’s watch today. Sons of noble houses used to serve on The Wall, but that was a tradition that had slowly ended through the years.

 

“I am, my lady.” He answered, I hung my head and smiled to myself.

 

“Well, I wish you the best of luck on The Wall. There are no girls there. No one to warm your bed. I would never be able to live such a chaste life.” I looked up and replaced my smile with my teasing smirk, the boy looked surprised at the fact that I had had sex out of wedlock.

 

“You’ve-” He started, but I stopped him before he could finish, I already knew what he was going to say just by the look on his face.

 

“I have. And I enjoyed every second of it. Something tells me that I would greatly enjoy you, Snow. Alas, we will have no chance to find out. I’d best be on my way. Farewell for now, Jon Snow.” I said proudly, most girls would not admit that they had lost their maiden hood before marriage, but I found no shame in it. I had enjoyed the times I had done it, and things I enjoy I don’t find shameful. I bid the boy goodbye, a small smile and a wave was all I gave him when I left. But I turned my head and saw the boys face was red once more, I smiled. I had enjoyed messing with him, but he would be on The Wall and I would be up in the Red Keep surrounded by guards and Lannisters.

 

I walked out of the Godswood to see Jaime walking out of the great hall, I smiled as he approached me. I disliked most Lannisters, but Jaime was one that I could love and hate. I gave him a cynical smile as he stopped in front of me. He was not dressed in his usual garb, the pure gold armor with the sheer white cloak of the Kingsguard, he instead was dressed in rather drab clothes.

 

“Ah, Ser Jaime, I had not expected to see you here.” I said, I straightened my posture and clasped my hands in front of me once again. Jaime smirked at me, like he always did.

 

“We missed you at breakfast, Lady Baratheon.”  I knew Jaime was joking, Tyrion and Jaime didn’t mind me, but they for sure never missed me, and Cersei neither liked me nor missed me.

 

“Oh, I doubt you missed me, ser. You were probably too busy imagining sex with your sister to notice that I wasn’t there.” I whispered, so the passing servants and small folk could not hear my remark. I knew about Cersei and Jaime, as much as they denied it, they were far more than siblings.

 

“Lady Baratheon, I’ve no idea what you’re talking about. A lady shouldn’t speak of such things. It’s unbecoming.” He tried to act confused, but I saw a small glint of something in his eyes, that showed he knew what I was talking about. I gave him a serious look and raised my eyebrows, offended he would say something like that to me.

 

“A lady will speak of whatever she likes, ser. Do not forget: I am the king’s sister. I could have your life ended if I chose to. You will speak to me with the proper amount of respect.” I snapped, my tone was laced with anger and venom, disgusted he tried to mediate what I said. Jaime simply smirked at me, knowing he had affected me simply with his words.

 

“Apologies, my lady. I was not aware you were so delicate. I’ll be more careful next time.” He said, clearly sarcastically, I smiled at him, though Jaime was rude to me, I appreciated his sarcasm.

 

“You are never to be delicate with me, ser. I can handle anything you throw my way.” I stated boldly, I grew up on Storms End, I was as tough as the stone walls that protected me from the storms when I was a little girl.

 

“You’d best be on your way, Lady Baratheon. My sister won’t like it if she sees us speaking. I’ve been ordered not to talk with you.” Jaime whispered to me as he walked passed me, a hand rested on his the hilt of his sword the other by his side, it was his usual stance.

 

“Ah, well, we can’t have Cersei thinking you want someone other than her, can we, Ser Jaime?” I joked, then walked the other way, before Jaime was completely out of sight I shot him a wink and sashayed my hips as I walked away.

* * *

I walked through the yard, Ser Slean and Arianna had gathered my things and brought them outside, my chest was placed amongst the rest of the stuff that was being taken back to Kings Landing. I watched Robb and Jon share a goodbye as I saddled up my horse, Storm. Storm was a horse I had had for awhile, he was a big black courser, he was fierce but lovely.

 

I had already said my goodbyes to Jon, I was waiting for him to leave so I could say goodbye to Robb, who I would miss, he reminded of a young Robert, but he belonged here, in the North. Jon and Robb shared a big hug, but departed not long after. I walked up to Robb, a smile plaster on my face. I had no intentions of getting with Robb, but teasing him was fun, he was handsome and knew it.

 

“It appears as though this is goodbye.” I said to him, the afternoon winds were picking up, my white cloak was billowing in the wind, and my hair, pulled back in tight braids with flowers placed in the knots blew in the wind, and stray hairs blew in my face.

 

“Seems that way, Lady Baratheon.” Robb answered, his thick brown curls were blowing loosely in the wind, and his bright eyes shown in the afternoon sun.

 

I looked the boy up and down once more, he was a very comely lad, and girl would be lucky to have him.

 

“Such a shame I won’t be able to look upon your face any longer.”  I graced his face with the tips of my fingers, my nails brushed the scruff he had growing on his face, it was thick and dark like his hair. Robb smirked at me, knowing it was not him, but his bastard brother that I truly wanted.

 

“I believe you’ll be plenty distracted by my brother. You won’t even notice my absence, my lady.” He responded, I let my hand fall from his face, he didn’t blush like Jon did when I touched him. I gave Robb a sultry smile.

 

“I can’t deny that Jon is pleasant to look upon. Even more so than you are.” I knew that was a blow to his ego, most people looked to him as the most attractive of Lord Eddard’s sons, but most didn’t spare a second to look at his bastard boy that was far more attractive.

 

“The way he acts around you is almost cute. Just go easy on him, my lady.” Robb was looking out for Jon, I liked that. But Jon was not used to girls going for him rather than Robb, so I was sure it was unusual for Robb be talking about this.

 

“No promises, Robb.” I smirked at him and winked, then walked away. I looked back to see Robb smiling at me as I left, I hoped Robb would do good in his life ahead of him, I wasn’t sure when I would see him again.

* * *

After I had said goodbye to Robb I decided to visit Bran’s room, check up on Lady Catelyn, who would not leave the room under any circumstances.

 

It was rather chilly this morning, the early morning winds were blowing and pulled my white, fur lined cloak closer to me, feeling the winds chill my bones. A guard by the door bowed his head and opened the door for me.

 

Lady Catelyn was in the same place she had been since Bran’s fall. Her hair was disheveled and she wore an old, dirty and tattered gown. Bran was laid on the bed, under the mound of furs and blankets, his head propped up on the pillow. Maester Luwin said he should not die, but it was not said when, or if, he would wake up.

 

I knew I could not feel the true pain of this, that Catelyn felt, I did not have any kids so I could not know the true devastation this caused.

 

“Lady Stark, how is your son doing?” I asked as I stepped up closer to the bed, the guard pulled the door closed. Catelyn looked up at me, her face was worn and tired, and she had been crying.

 

“He is not well, Lady Baratheon. A mere look at him would show you that.” I did not mind Catelyn being snarky, nor would I dare call her out on it, with the pain she is feeling it would be shameful to punish her for simply having an attitude.

 

“My apologies, Lady Stark. I did not intend to bother you. Perhaps I should go.” I said, I bowed, and turned to leave, feeling Lady Stark would like alone time with her son.

 

“No, Lady Baratheon. I should be the apologetic one. I should not have spoken to you in that tone.” Catelyn said, her tone was weary, and she hung her head.

 

“There is no need for you to apologize, Lady Stark. You are in distress. Your poor boy fell from that tower. I have prayed to the Old Gods every day that they would return your son to you.” I said quickly after Catelyn had finished talking, I did not want her to be more upset, and I was, of course, not upset with her. Cat smiled at me, a weary smile, but a grateful smile. Cat was a very religious woman, she did not worship the Old Gods much, but she appreciated the prayers.

 

“Thank you, Lady Baratheon. I’m sure you have much more pressing matters to pray for. That you would pray for my son…” Cat had always tried to be humble, it was well appreciated, but not needed for me. I felt rather guilty about Bran’s fall, I told him to keep climbing, and he hurt himself doing it. I could not heal him, but I could pray that the gods would heal him.

 

“Nonsense, Lady Stark. I pray for those important to me. I pray for my brothers, for your sons and daughters, and for the spirits of my parents.” I waved my hand at her, and though I had not known the Stark children long, Ned was important to me, and any child of his is important to me. Cat looks at me with a questioning look, I knew it was because I did not mention Cersei or her incest bred monsters.

 

“You do not pray for the princes or princess? Not even for the queen?” Cat was a trustworthy person, and I knew anything I said to her would not be passed on to an untrustworthy ear. I don’t hide the fact that I am not fond of Cersei or her children, but I would not dare speak of why I do not pray for the children.

 

“I do not pray for them. The queen and I have a difficult relationship. Unfortunately, her children suffer for her actions toward me. I bear no love for my niece and nephews.” The fact about Cersei was true, we did not have a good relationship. We were constantly at each others throats, we could never agree on anything. She hated me because her and Robert were married, but he did not care and ounce for her, but he would give me the whole kingdom if I asked.

 

“I am sorry to hear that, Lady Baratheon.” It was not something to be sorry for, I did not care for the queen, nor did I ever want to. I walked over to the other side of the bed and looked upon Bran’s young face. I brushed some of his hair back, he would be a handsome lad when he got older. I smiled a little to myself, and said a silent prayer that the gods would bring him back. If they did not, It would eat at me for the rest of my life.

 

“I’d best be on my way. I wouldn’t want my brother to become impatient with me. It was very lovely to meet you, Lady Stark, and your children. I will continue praying for young Bran.” I gave Cat a warm smile, and spared one last look at the broken boy that lay helpless on the bed, then turned away for I feared I would begin weeping.

* * *

On the Kingsroad, I followed in the back beside Jon, Ser Slean not far behind. I was rather glad to be leaving the North, it was cold and windy, and it snows in the summer. In Kings Landing, it never snows, not even in the winter, but it was cold, beyond cold, in the winters. But the North was even worse in the winter. 

 

“It is nice to spend more time with you before you go off to become a brother of the Night’s Watch. Although, it is slightly disappointing that so many people are around. I cannot be nearly as bold as I’d like to be.” If this would be my last chance to embarrass this boy, so be it. But I knew it was not my words making him red, but my actions a few nights ago. I had been drunk after dinner with Robert and found an attractive man that had been walking out of the hall, I presumed it to be a commoner. I took him back to my room, and my door had been left open, just a crack. But I had seen him walk by the door, even if he had not seen it I was sure he could hear me moaning in his room.

 

“Certainly is a shame, my lady.” It was hard to tell if the boy was being sarcastic or not, but either way, I smiled at him, knowing what he considered ‘bold’.

 

We reached the fork in the road, one road led back to Kings Landing and one to The Wall. People started going their separate ways. The King’s party going one way then Tyrion, Benjen a few Lannister guards head the way towards The Wall.

 

I could see Ned waiting up ahead, waiting for Jon to catch up so they could say their goodbyes. I knew I shouldn’t, but I listened in on their conversation, curious to see how Ned would part with his son.

 

“There’s great honor serving in the Night’s Watch. The Starks have manned The Wall for thousands of years, and you are a Stark. You might not have my name, but you have my blood.” Ned said, he watched Benjen go, then looked over at Jon.

 

I knew Catelyn had not been kind to Jon, so it was nice to see Ned being so kind to him.

 

“Is my mother alive?”  Jon’s mother was a mystery to everyone, most people assumed she was some tavern wench that Ned had laid with in fear that he may not come back from the war. I knew this was probably a private conversation, but I was curious if Ned would reveal anything about Jon’s mom.

 

“Does she know about me? Where I am, where I’m going? Does she care?” Jon asked, he looked over at Ned, the wind was blowing through his thick black curls.

 

“The next time we see each other we’ll talk about your mother. I promise.” Ned patted Jon on the shoulder, gave him a smile and rod of to catch up with the rest of our party.

 

Jon looks over at me, not far behind him. I trot over to him, Ser Slean stays behind, leaving me to say farewell once more.

 

“I must say, I’ll miss you, Jon Snow. You’re a good man. And very brave. Not all men would join the Night’s Watch. It is quite a shame that I’ll never feel your tongue on me, but I suppose I’ll survive without you.” I figure if this may be the last time I see him, I should make him red one more time. I give him a kind smile, not a teasing one, an honest one.

 

“All of that aside, it was an honor to meet you, Jon. I truly will miss you.” I give him a kiss on the cheek, his stubble was rough on my lips, but I liked the feeling of it.

 

“An honor to meet you as well, Lady Baratheon.” The boy was not red, but he was smiling at me. I would miss him, I could tell he would grow up to be a very honorable and comely man.

 

“You do know that you can call me ‘Anise’. With everything I’ve said to you, I’d think we could be less formal.” I looked off to the side, I would have to say goodbye once and for all as the rest of my party was already beyond me on the road.

 

I knew Jon was hesitant to call me by my first name, I was the King’s sister, not some common girl.

 

“Alright then, Anise.” I gave him a wide smile, tried not to show the fact that I was shocked.

 

“Have fun at The Wall, Jon.” I gave him a wink and one last teasing smirk before I road off, in a rush to catch up with everyone, or at least Ned.

 

I managed to catch up with Ned, he was looking ahead, but he had a smirk on his face.

 

“You seem quite taken with my bastard.”  He said, looking over at me.

 

“Am I that obvious, Lord Stark?”  I smiled at him, I knew I had been obvious to anyone that had spared one look at the two of us.

 

“Anise, you’ve called me Ned for years. You only call me Lord Stark when you don’t want to speak of something.” It was true, I had known Ned far too long to always call him his formal name, I only did it when I wanted to avoid something.

 

“You know me so well, Ned.”  I chuckled, my laugh filled the air and mingled with the sounds of the afternoon, birds chirping, wind whistling and trees bustling. The wind blew and my skirts flapped around my ankles and loose strands of my hair blew in my face. The north was a beautiful place, but the North belonged to the Starks, I was no Stark. I belonged on Storms End, and I longed for home.

* * *

Robert called me to lunch with him and Ned, we were sat downhill from the Kings Road, between two towering trees. I sat on one side of the small table, beside Ned. Robert was off pissing on the tree by his side of the table. I rolled my eyes and scoffed in disgust, Robert could be rather disgusting at times, but it was in his character. The wind was blowing in the air smelled like grass and dirt, the long grass was blowing and tickling my ankles and my skirts were lightly rustled.

 

“Gods, this is country. I’ve half a mind to leave them all behind and keep going.” Robert said, smiling, as he walked over to join us. Ned and Robert had their sword belts off, leaning on a large rock. There was food enough for at least ten men, or more, spread out on the table in front of us, and a table to the side.

 

“Half a mind is all you’ve got.” I chuckled, taking a sip of my wine. Ned and Robert preferred beer and ale.

 

“Shut up, brat.” Robert growled, but he still had a wide smile on his face. I smirked at him in response, it was always fun to joke with Robert, we never truly meant to hurt each other but it was fun. Ned smiled at me, he wouldn’t joke with Robert now, so I had too but Ned still enjoyed our sibling bickering.

 

“I’ve half a mind to go with you, Robert.” Ned looked off the large field that led into thick woods. Ned and Robert both enjoyed hunting, but if they had it their way they would spend all their lives hunting.

 

“What do you say, Ned? Just you and me on the Kingsroad? Swords at our sides, couple of tavern wenches to warm our beds tonight? No little sisters to drag along behind us.” Robert looked at me when he said that last part, but I knew Ned wouldn’t mind having his sister back and by his side. I didn’t bring Lyanna up though, now was not the time, I instead kept eating and let Ned and Robert have their conversation together.

 

“If you’d asked me 20 years ago.” Even when Ned and Robert had been young they had no time to be young, they were fighting wars and putting their lives on the line.

 

“There were wars to fight, women to marry, never had the chance to be young.” I knew this was leading to a conversation I would, nor could, take a part in. During Robert’s Rebellion both Renly and I were to young to take a part in it and were moved to the places out of the fighting.

 

“Oh, I recall a few chances.” Ned said rubbing his chin and smiling, still looking over at the field and the forest. They were both laughing, and I was happy to hear Robert genuinely laugh for the first time in years. Cersei had made him so miserable over the past years just by being in the room.

 

“There was that one… Oh, what was her name? That common girl of yours with the great big tits you could bury your face in.” I knew they were talking about tavern wenches and whores, usually I would say something, but Robert looked happy. Ned looked like he was thinking and neither Robert nor I interrupted him, but a few seconds later Ned seemed to remember.

 

“Bessie, she was one of yours.” He said, a bright smile on his face, and I felt myself smirk, but I didn’t let them see, I was just glad to see them together again.

 

“Bessie. Thank the Gods for Bessie. And her tits.” At this point in the conversation could be leading to another conversation I never wanted to be apart of.

 

“Gods, can we change the subject?” I asked, completely serious, but they both just laughed at me.

 

“Yours was...Aleena? No, you told me once. Uh, Meryl? Your bastard’s mother.” The smile left Ned’s face, but I perked up, Ned always seemed to avoid the conversation of Jon’s mother, but everyone was curious about it.

 

“Wylla.”

 

“That’s it. She must have been a rare wench to make Lord Eddard Stark forget his honor. You never told me what she looked like.” Ned wasn’t smiling, but Robert still was. Robert was never good at sensing when to drop a conversation, but I didn’t say anything, I just hoped Robert would drop it and move on to something else.

 

“Nor will I.” I appreciated the way Ned handled the subject of Jon’s mother, it was something he wanted to keep to himself, and everyone had a few of those things. But I knew Jon’s mother did not provide much of his looks, he look to much like Ned.

But Robert seemed to catch on to the fact that this was not something Ned wanted to talk about it and made an attempt to console Ned on his actions.

 

“We were at war. None of us knew if we were going to go back home again. You’re too hard on yourself. You always have been. I swear if I weren’t your king you’d have hit me already.” Robert always found a way to bring humor back to the conversation, it was one thing I appreciated about him.

 

“Worst thing about your coronation. I’ll never get to hit you again.” Ned was smiling again, and laughing. I had kept quiet the past few minutes, giving them time to have their own conversation.

 

“Trust me, that’s not the worst thing.” I piped up, Robert just cuts me a look and Ned smiles at me.

Robert pulls a slip of paper out of his belt and leans across the table to hand it to Ned.

 

“There was a rider in the night.” Robert explained while Ned red it, I already knew what it said, Robert told at breakfast early this morning.

 

“Daenerys Targaryen has wed some Dothraki horselord. What of it? Should we send her a wedding gift?”  Varys had kept up with the runaway Targaryen children over the years. Viserys was now known as the ‘Beggar King’, and Daenerys was now known as a Khaleesi. I was not bothered by the two children, or the Dothraki horde they had at their backs. Ned didn’t seem bothered by the news either, he handed the paper back to Robert.

 

“A knife perhaps. A good, sharp one. And a bold man to wield it.” Robert growled, ever since Lyanna’s death Robert was not fond of the idea of Targaryen’s still existing.

I gave Robert and accusing look, ashamed he was even considering killing the child.

 

“She is little more than a child.” I smiled at Ned, glad to have him on my side.

 

“Well, soon enough that child will spread her legs and start breeding.” Robert didn’t hate the idea of Viserys and Daenerys existing, he hated the idea of them breeding, creating more Targaryens that he couldn’t get his hands on.

 

“Tell me we’re not speaking of this.” This was the last thing I wanted to consider, I did not want to murder some child of which was no threat to me nor anyone in the seven kingdoms.

 

“Yes, dear brother, tell me you’re not speaking of assassinating a little girl!”  I shouted, doing what Ned wouldn’t.

 

“Oh, it’s unspeakable to you two? What her father did to Ned’s family, that was unspeakable. What Rhaegar Targaryen did to Lyanna, the woman I loved. I’ll kill every Targaryen I get my hands on.” Robert was not trying to discuss it anymore, he was angry, and if he could get his hands on Daenerys I knew she would be dead, and by his own hand perhaps.

 

“You can’t get your hands on this one, can you?” Ned said, she was in Pentos, or some other Free Cities. To kill the girl it would take too much time, and too much money, and the crown was already in more debt than ever.

 

“This Khal Drogo, it’s said he has a hundred thousand men in his horde.” Robert wasn’t thinking in a literal sense, the Dothraki will never cross the narrow sea.

 

“Even a million Dothraki are no threat to the realm as long as they remain on the other side of the Narrow Sea. They have no ships, Robert.” Ned forgot to mention that even if they had ships, they wouldn’t cross. They considered the seawater to be poison because their horses could not drink it.

 

“There’s still those in the Seven Kingdoms who call me “Usurper”. The Targaryen boy crosses with a Dothraki horde at his back, the scum will join him.” With every king there would be those who did not support him, even if Viserys were to cross the sea, there would still be those loyal to Robert. No king will ever have everyone on his side. Even when the Targaryen’s were the ruling family, many people did not support nor like them.

 

“He will not cross. And if by chance he does we’ll throw him back into the sea.” In numbers the Dothraki outnumbered us, but in power we outnumbered them.

 

“You’re turning this into a bigger problem than it actually is, brother. There is no danger of Viserys Targaryen, nor of his sister. As it were, I sympathize with the child. Forced to marry a Dothraki khal… I can think of no worse fate.” I said, taking a sip of wine, if I was going to deal with Robert being a half drunken, stubborn asshole, I was going to have to be wasted.

 

“The day I take advice from my little sister is the day I am killed during a hunt. There’s a war coming. I don’t know when, I don’t know who we’ll be fighting, but it’s coming.” I rolled my eyes, I was rather fed up with Robert at this moment.

 

After lunch Robert, Ned and I departed ways, Robert probably went of to find some camp whore to fuck. I found Ned with Jory Cassel. I asked him if Lord Stark and I could have a moment, he nodded and left.

 

“Lord Stark, you don’t agree with my brother, do you?” I straightened my posture and clasped my hands in front of me. The wind was still blowing with a chill to it, but the afternoon sun was out and shining down on us.

 

“Agree with him on what?” He asked looking up at me, he was sharpening his great Valyrian steel blade, Ice, it was stretched across his lap, and I the sun was shining and reflecting the black and red ripples in the metal.

 

“The Targaryen girl.” I was nervous Ned would not side with me, if anyone had a reason to hate Targaryens, it was Ned, but killing a young girl simply because of her bloodline and last name was not the right move.

 

“You know that I don’t. And Gods, stop calling me ‘Lord Stark.’” He chuckled and had that smile on his face that could light up the darkest of rooms. But glad that he agreed with me let out a sigh of relief and gave him a small smile in return.

“Why are you so concerned, Anise?”

 

“Because the girl has done nothing to deserve that fate. She’s an innocent child, not a dragon queen. She grew up away from her father’s madness. I’d venture to say that she’s nothing like him. Viserys...he could very well be the Mad King reborn, but he is no concern. He will not cross the Narrow Sea. Not with a hundred thousand Dothraki, not even with one. I just wish my brother would see that.” I said seriously, I was finally able to voice all I thought earlier. Ned actually listened to what others had to say, Robert was always set on his own opinion in views.

 

“Robert is stubborn. You got that from him.”

 

“I’ve received nothing from my brother. He’s far too pigheaded to teach any trait.” I said seriously, though I was a bit drunk and probably did not mean it. Ned smiled at me, knowing I was drunk and frustrated with Robert, and he knew I didn’t mean it seriously.

 

“I’ll talk him down from his Targaryen madness. Everything will be fine, Anise.” He wrapped Ice up and gave me a pat on shoulder, and his bright smile and I felt reassured.

* * *

We had made it to the Crossroads Inn, it was midday, the sun was out and the wind had stopped, I had traded my fur cloak for a regular black and gold cloak, clasped with a golden stag head. I was sat on an old tree stump in the shade practicing my needlework, but I had abandoned it for sometime and I kept pricking my fingers. I was watching Sansa, she was waking Lady on a chain. Sansa bumped into Ser Ilyn Payne, the Kings Justice. I knew this wouldn’t end well, but I stayed back and closely watched the situation.

 

“Pardon me, ser.” She said quietly with a tone of fear. Sandor walked up behind her and put his hand on her shoulder, she jumped in fear. I didn’t intervene yet though.

 

“Do I frighten you so much, girl? Or is it him there making you shake?” Sandor asked, nodding at Ser Ilyn who was stood in the same place with a lifeless look on his face.

 

“He frightens me, too. Look at that face.” I chuckled as I walked up beside the Sandor, he himself did not have a nice face, but Ser Ilyn was even more terrifying. He had not talked since the day Mad King Aerys had his tongue ripped with hot pincers. I was but a babe then, I only knew the stories people told me. Ser Ilyn used to be the commander of Tywin Lannister’s guard, but was named the King’s Justice for Robert. Sansa, being the polite young lady she is, turns back to Ser Ilyn’s pockmarked, hollow face, and apologized.

 

“I apologize if I offended you, ser.”  She said meekly, still clearly terrified. Trapped between the Hound and Ser Ilyn, I could think of only one circumstance that would be worse. Trapped between the Hound and the Mountain.

 

Ilyn walks away, starring Sansa and Sandor down as he left. His greatsword was slung on his back and he had no trace of emotion on his face or in his eyes as he left. I did not trust Ser Ilyn, nor would I ever. I knew, from what I had been told, even before he got his tongue ripped out he was not a nice man. I would make sure that Ser Ilyn had no future contact or run ins with Sansa.

 

“Why won’t he speak to me?” Sansa asked, turning to face Sandor and I.

 

“He hasn’t been very talkative these last 20 years since the Mad King had his tongue ripped out with hot pincers.” Sandor replied, most people in the south knew the story, but it was understandable that Sansa did not know, she had not even been born when it had happened.

 

Behind Sansa I saw Joffrey walking up to us, I rolled my eyes and scoffed. I did not want Sansa around him either, he would ruin her when he showed his true colors, there was no doubt about it. He was a monster, but Cersei was making him hide it so they could manipulate the poor girl.

 

“Speaks damn well with his sword, though. Ser Ilyn Payne, the King’s Justice.” I scowled when he spoke, everything about the child bothered me, especially his voice. Sansa looked as though she were in love though, I could not understand what Sansa liked about him, he had good looks, but he was evil and malicious. Sandor too looked confused, if anyone knew how evil Joffrey was it would be Sandor, he was always at his side, he was his guard dog.

 

“What is it, sweetling? Does The Hound frighten you? Away with you, dog. You’re scaring my lady.” Joffrey lightly touch Sansa’s chin, both Sandor and I walked away. I walked back to the tree stump I had previously been sitting on, Sandor stood beside me. I kept an eye on Joffrey and Sansa but paid some attention to Sandor.

 

“He’s such a little shit.” He growled, I was one of the few people Sandor would express his hatred for the boy he was paid to protect to. And he was one of the few people I would express my shared hatred of the boy to.

 

“I am well aware of that, Sandor.” I laughed, and looked back at where Joffrey and Sansa had been to see that they were leaving, Sansa leaves Lady, and I didn’t trust her with just Joffrey. I wouldn’t be able to follow them though, it would look suspicious.

 

“I don’t like them going off alone.” I said honestly, looking up at Sandor, who for once was not scowling but looking at me with a sincere look in his eyes.

 

“Worried that something might attack the prince?” He asked, ruining the moment with his sarcastic remarks, knowing very well I did not care one bit about the prince. I laugh loudly, and very un-lady like. But I looked back up at him, a serious look on my face this time.

 

“I’m worried he might hurt that sweet girl.” I said looking down at my needlepoint that I had not finished, and did not plan to finish. Sandor understood how I felt though, it was clear that Sansa was far too sweet for Joff, and Joff far too evil for Sansa.

 

“Stop worrying, makes you weak.” He chuckled, he would never openly admit he had feelings or ever even cared about anyone other than himself, but he was not a completely emotionless monster like most people think.

 

“Fuck off, Hound.” I laughed and attempted to work more on my needlepoint, but I once again kept poking my fingers with the needle.

 

“Gladly.” Sandor leaves, his cape flapping behind him. Once he’s out of sight I hear commotion and people shouting from the woods. I look around and stop the first guard I see heading to the woods. I asked what happened, he told me that Arya had ‘viciously’ attacked the prince then ran off.

 

It had started getting dark out, and she had still not been found. It was dangerous for her to be out on her own, though Nymeria was probably with her. I found Ser Slean with Arianna out by the stables, talking. I told Arianna she could back to the inn and took Ser Slean with me to find Ned, I wanted to help find Arya before the Lannisters did, it was hard telling what they would do to her after she hurt their little prince.

 

Both Ned and Ser Slean had torches and were close behind me. Every Stark and Lannister guard was in the woods looking for Arya. My dress had been snagged and torn multiple times, but Arya was more important than my dress.

 

“Arya! Come out, darling, I won’t hurt you! ARYA!” I shouted, my white gown drug in the dirt, and twigs snapped under my heels.

 

As we continued to look through the woods and shout for Arya, Jory Cassel rode up to Ned on his horse.

 

“My lord, my lady, they found her. She’s unharmed.” He said, dismounting and walking with us.

 

“Where is she?” Ned asked, he stopped, and both Ser Slean and I stopped as well.

 

“She’s been taken directly before the king.” Jory answered, and both Ned and I were angry. Arya was Ned’s daughter, not some common girl, she should have been brought to him first. We’ve been out looking for her since midday.

 

“What?!” I shouted, already knowing I was going to have a private word with Robert and his bitch of a wife Cersei. Arya is little more than a child, she must be scared. For them to not let her see her father after being missing all day long was more than wrong, it was terrible.

 

“Who took her?” I knew Ned was beyond angry, he was outraged.

 

“The Lannisters found her.” Jory answered, though we already knew only the Lannisters would be so heartless as to take her before the King rather than her own father.

 

“Back! Get back to the inn!” Ned shouted, all his men turned the horses or began walking back to the inn. Ned was walking fast, stomping through the brush, his torch held high above his head.

 

“The queen ordered them to take her.” Jory shouted after Ned left. This was only adding to my anger, and my hatred for Cersei.

 

“Cersei did this?” I demanded, looking at Jory. He nodded and I turned to Ser Slean and we ran to catch up with Ned. I held my dress up as we ran, so I wouldn’t trip or fall, and it had already gotten dirty and torn enough. I prayed that no harm had come to Arya in the hands of the queen, if Joffrey was hurting I’m sure she would demand Arya’s head, and perhaps swing the sword herself.

 

We got back to the Inn, it was dark outside and I saw Lady chained to a post. Everyone was gathered in main hall of the Inn, Robert, Cersei and Joffrey at the head. We pushed through numerous Lannister guards, and I glared at each of them, though I would have prefered to kill all of them rather than glare at them.

 

“Move, damn you, I’m the king’s sister.” I demanded, as some of them tried not to let me pass. We got to Arya and both Sandor and Ser Ilyn stood behind her, she looked terrified. Cersei was smirking and I had to refrain from slapping her as rage filled my entire body.

Arya clung to Ned, and Ned hugged, making sure she was okay.

 

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” Arya repeated, clinging to Ned.

 

“Are you hurt?” He asked, clearly not caring that she had possibly hurt Joffrey, he only cared if she had gotten hurt or was hurt.

 

“No.” Even with Ned next to her, she still sounded terrified, and no word could describe how angry I was.

 

“What is the meaning of this?” Ned demanded, turning to Robert.

 

“Why was Arya not brought to Lord Stark when she was found?” I asked, glaring at Robert, I could not believe he would do this.

 

“How dare you speak to your king in that manner, Lady Baratheon.” Cersei said from beside Robert, I knew she was pleased with the trouble she had caused, but she had to hide it.

 

“You’ll not speak to my sister that way, woman. Sorry, Ned. I never meant to frighten the girl. But we need to get this business done quickly.” Robert said, it seemed like this was the last thing he wanted to do be doing right now, so it was no doubt Cersei’s doing.

 

“Your girl and that butcher’s boy attacked my son.” Cersei said, I rolled my eyes, knowing if that was what had actually happened, he probably deserved it.

 

“That animal of hers nearly tore his arm off.” Cersei added, looking at Arya who was hiding behind Ned, then nodding at Joffrey beside her who had the bottom part of his right arm. I smiled, a direwolf was only as wild as it’s owner.

“That’s not true! She just...bit him a little. He was hurting Mycah.” Arya said, I knew Mycah, he was the butcher’s boy, a good lad. Arya clung to me, she only reached my hips, but she wrapped her arms around my waist and buried her face in my side, I put my hand on her back, feeling protective of the young girl. **  
**

“Joff told us what happened. You and that boy beat him with clubs while you set your wolf on him.” Cersei said, Joffrey smirked, and I snorted, knowing it was a lie, it sounded more like something Joffrey would do, not something sweet Arya would do. Robert glared at me, silently letting me know I shouldn’t be acting like this in front of everyone.

 

“That’s not what happened!” Arya shouted, lifting her face from my side so she could look at Robert, Cersei and Joffrey.

 

“Yes, it is! They all attacked me and she threw my sword in the river.” Joffrey shouted back, and I found it amusing he cared about his sword, he didn’t even know how to swing it right. I knew how to handle a sword better than he did.

 

“Liar!” Arya shouted, still clinging to me. I patted her on the back, trying to quiet her, shouting would solve nothing.

 

“Shut up!” Joffrey said, I nearly chuckled, he would make a terrible King, he could not put up an actual argument without being immature. I saw Robert’s face was getting red and he looked angry and annoyed.

 

“Enough! He tells me one thing, she tells me another. Seven hells, what am I to make of this? Where’s your other daughter, Ned?” Robert asked, wanting to end this and the only other person that had been there was Sansa. I knew Sansa would be pressured into agreeing with Cersei and Joffrey.

 

“In bed, asleep.” Ned replied, I was sure Septa Mordane had put Sansa to sleep after we left to search for Arya.

“

She’s not. Sansa, come here darling.” It was clear Cersei had gone out of her way to wake up Sansa and make sure she dictated what Sansa is to say. Cersei looked rather pleased with herself, and I rolled my eyes, I wanted to scoff but I refrained myself, it would not be proper for the Kings sister to act childish when dealing with these manners. 

 

The guards make way and let Sansa pass, she was in her night gown with a cloak on. A member of the Kingsguard was behind her, but left once Sansa was in front of Robert.

 

“Now, child, tell me what happened. Tell it all and tell it true. It’s a great crime to lie to a king.” I knew Robert would never hurt Sansa, or Arya, but he had to seem powerful.

 

“Robert, you’re scaring the girl.” I said, from beside Ned, Sansa looked both scared and sad, but there was little I could do.

 

“Shut up, Anise. Let the girl speak.” Robert said, waving his hand at me, and turning back to Sansa.

 

“I don’t know. I don’t remember. Everything happened so fast. I didn’t see.” Sansa said quietly, I knew she was under the influence of Cersei.

 

“Liar!” Arya shouts and hits Sansa before I can grab her, after that I held Arya tightly, making sure she didn’t hit Sansa again.

 

“Liar, liar, liar!” Arya shouted repeatedly and broke free from my hold. She pulled Sansa’s hair and Ned pulled Arya off of Sansa and handed her back to me.

 

Cersei was smirking, clearly pleased with the trouble she had caused.

 

“She’s as wild as that animal of hers. I want her punished.” Cersei said, a small smile on her face.

 

“What would you have me do? Whip her through the streets?” Robert demanded, I knew Robert did not care about this at all, he wanted to please Cersei and get her off his back.

 

I pulled Arya closer to me, if I was still alive and kicking, no one would ever hurt her.

 

“Damn it, children fight. It’s over.” There was not much Robert could do, I fought with boys and girls when I was younger, children always fight.

 

“Joffrey will bear these scars for the rest of his life.” Cersei said, and Robert looks over at Joffrey, acknowledging him for the first time.

 

“You let that little girl disarm you.” Joffrey looks ashamed, and even I thought it was a bit harsh, but also amusing.

 

“Ned, see to it that your daughter’s disciplined. I’ll do the same with my son.” Robert said, I was glad this was resolved, Cersei made it a bigger problem than it needed to be, but she tended to do that in any situation she could.

 

“Gladly, Your Grace.” Ned said, he turned to take Arya from me when Cersei spoke up.

 

“What of the direwolf? What of the beast that savaged your son?” Cersei asked, doing what she does best, making a situation bigger than it needed to be. Robert sighs and stops where he’s standing.

 

“I forgot the damned wolf.”

 

“We found no trace of the direwolf, Your Grace.”One of the many Lannister guards says.

 

“No? So be it.”

 

“We have another wolf.” Cersei added, talking about Lady, I knew once Sansa understood she would be devastated.

 

Robert looks back at Cersei, and I understood, please her so he could be free to get shit faced and fuck some whores before the night was over.

 

“As you will.” Robert turned to leave, leaving the matter where it stood. Ned looks shocked and appalled at what he had just heard.

 

“You can’t mean it.” Ned said, Robert stopped in front of Ned when he said that.

 

“A direwolf’s no pet. Get her a dog, she’ll be happier for it.” Robert walked down the hall, passing both Lannister and Stark guards.

 

I knew what was happening the moment Cersei had mentioned it, but I was horrified that my own brother would allow it to happen.  

 

“He doesn’t mean Lady, does he?” Sansa asked, she sounded awful and broken, like she was about to cry, and it broke my heart there was nothing I could do to stop it.

 

“No, no, not Lady. Lady didn’t bite anyone! She’s good!” Sansa shouted, she looked back at Cersei and Joffrey, neither seemed to care that Sansa was in tears.

 

“Lady wasn’t there! You leave her alone!” Arya shouted, stepping up next to her sister. In a last ditch effort to save Sansa from heart break I turned to Cersei.

 

“Cersei, surely you wouldn’t be so cruel.” Cersei just smiled at me, but said nothing.

 

“Stop them, don’t let them do this, please! Please, please, it wasn’t Lady!” Sansa grabbed Ned’s sleeve, she was crying, crying for her wolf she loved so much, her wolf that loved her so much, and I felt bad because that wolf was one of the beings that truly cared for her.

 

Ned turns to Robert, who still had his back turned to the chaos behind him.

 

“Is this your command?” Ned asks, I looked from Cersei back to Robert, hoping and praying he will stop this.

 

“Robert, don’t do this.” I plead, the girl has already left her home and her mother behind, now she was going to lose her pet.

 

Robert turns his head to the side, but says nothing and leaves. Sansa is crying, and she starts clinging to my other side, she had her arms wrapped mine, and her head on my shoulder crying.

 

“Where is the beast?” Cersei asked the same Lannister guard that had mentioned the beast earlier.

 

“Chained up outside, Your Grace.” He replied, clearly happy to be of help to Cersei.

 

“Ser Ilyn, do me the honor.” Ser Ilyn was a disgusting and wretched man, he had no honor, and therefore had no right to kill, or even touch the direwolf.

 

“No. Jory, take the girls to their rooms. Anise, if you would help him.” Sansa was sobbing, and I too was on the brink of tears, but I held them in, knowing I must stay strong in the presence of so many people.

 

“Of course, Ned.” I reply, I could not stop this from happening, but I would help the Starks anyway that I could. Ned turns to Cersei, he was no happy, he had a solemn look on his face.

 

“If it must be done, I’ll do it myself.” Ned said, he was the only person worthy of doing it, if it had to be done.

 

“Is this some trick?” Cersei questioned, if she could she would have Ser Ilyn kill and skin the direwolf in front of Sansa than make herself a pretty throw out of it.

 

“The wolf is of The North. She deserves better than a butcher.” Ser Ilyn was a butcher, a butcher of people, he lived to cut off peoples heads, and nothing more.

 

Jory and I begin leading the girls to their rooms, Jory takes Arya and I take Sansa.

 

“Hush now, sweetling. I wish your wolf could be saved, but there’s nothing that can be done.” I whispered to her, trying to console her the best I could. I lead Sansa up the steps to her room, she is still sobbing when we reach her room.

 

I helped Sansa get ready for bed, I brushed her hair out and tucked her in under a pile of furs and blankets.

 

“Sweetling, your wolf is in a better place. A place where she can run free and she’ll never live in fear.” I said, sitting on the edge of Sansa’s bed, pushing the hair out of her face.

 

“But I want Lady here.” Sansa was sniffling now, but I knew she would be sad for awhile.

 

“Perhaps when we get to King’s Landing, you and I could go get you a dog. Would you like that?” I asked, smiling at her, I clasped her hand in mine and gave it reassuring squeeze. Sansa had a look on her face, like she was considering it, she had stopped crying, but she was still sniffling, and her face was red and puffy, her eyes blood shot and red. It was a heart breaking site, she was such a beautiful young girls, she did not deserve this pain so early in life. 

 

“Only if we find one that’s like Lady.” She answered, trying to smile, but she was still sad and sniffling.

 

“Of course we will. Now, get some sleep, darling.” I patted her arm and got off her bed, my heels clicked on the wooden floor as I left her room, shutting the door behind me. I walked down the hall to my room, my room was not that far from Sansa’s.

 

Ser Slean was standing outside my door, he smiled when he saw me coming, and opened my door for me. I gave him a small smile and entered my room, there was a fire burning and it was warm, but I felt cold to the bone. I shut the door behind me, after the troubles we faced to day the only thing I wanted now was to be alone.

 

As soon as I shut the door I fall to my knees and start crying. Ever since we left for Winterfell things have fallen apart. Robert wasn’t who he used to be, he was letting Cersei take over and gave her far too much power. Stannis was not waiting for me back at Kings Landing and I missed him, he may be harsh and cold, but he truly cared for me, and it seemed the list of people that truly cared about me was getting shorter every day. The poor Stark boy had fallen from that tower, and was crippled for the rest of his life and I couldn’t help but feel partly guilty for it. Sansa lost her wolf, Arya lost her wolf. 

Nothing was the way it used to be, and it would never be the same again.

 

 

 


	3. Chapter 3

It was late in the day, and earlier we had finally reached Kings Landing. Everyone had returned to the Red Keep, I stepped into the throne room, it was just as it was before we left. 

 

The Iron Throne loomed at the head of the the room. The walls were as empty and bare as it had been before we left, Baratheon banners alongside Lannister banners were the only things that hung on the walls. I remember what the throne room was like when I first joined Robert at court, there used to be large looming dragon skulls along the walls, leading up to the Iron Throne, and dark Targaryen banners used to hang on the walls. Now all the dragon skulls where hidden beneath the Red Keep and the Targaryen banners had been burnt. 

 

My footsteps echoed through the room, it was empty and silent, aside from the two Baratheon guards that stood by the open wooden doors. As I went to leave, I heard soft footsteps come from behind me, I turned around and was faced with my favorite eunuch, Lord Varys. He wore white robes with purple stitching, and he smelled of lavenders. 

 

I was, perhaps, the only person in the entire keep Varys did not collect information on, a fact I appreciated. Being at court, you rarely had secrets, they got out eventually. But Varys did not take part in spreading my secrets, but he did tell me of the whispers he heard, I was always the first to know what was happening in the keep, thanks to Varys. 

 

“Lord Varys! It’s been so long since I’ve seen you! How have you been?” I smiled at him, glad to see a friendly face, after being on the road for so long, I had been surrounded by Lannisters the entire time. Varys smiled at me, his usual smile, small and hidden, but there. 

 

“I have missed your presence in the Red Keep, Lady Baratheon. My lady, shall you be joining me for lunch later? You have missed quite a bit during your absence.” He held my hands lightly, he had big, stubby, fingers, but his hands were soft, my hands were small and delicate like a ladies. But I smiled and nodded at Varys, I couldn’t wait to hear all the stuff that had happened in the keep since I had been gone. 

 

“I could never say no to you, Lord Varys. Where shall we be sharing this meal?”

 

“Preferably in your room, my lady. My little birds know to avoid your room, per my instructions.” 

 

“I do appreciate that you are not spying on me. I must be going, I’m trying to find Renly. Have you seen him?” I had not seen or heard Renly since we had arrived, and I had been anticipating seeing him all day, I hadn’t seen him in nearly three months and I truly missed him. 

 

“I saw him sneaking away with Ser Loras Tyrell not long ago, my lady. I believe it would be best to give them some privacy.” Lord Varys had not only kept my secrets, but upon request, he kept Renly and Ser Loras’s relationship a secret. If it were to get out it would ruin them both. But I smiled, I knew what they were doing together, so seeing Renly was not an option at the moment, I would have to wait until later. 

 

“I believe you may be right, Varys. No matter, I’d best be off. So good to see you again.” Varys nodded and dropped my hands, I gave him one last smile and walked away. I walked down the hallway that was behind the throne, I wasn’t sure where I was going, as I had planned to see Renly, but I did not want to walk in on him and Loras, again. I decide to visit the gardens, they were one of the things I had missed while in Winterfell, in Winterfell they had a garden, it was rather small and quaint compared to the vast, flowing gardens maintained here.

 

The gardens were full of roses, along with other bright and extravagant plants and flowers. The gardens were bright and beautiful, there were lords and ladies from court wandering the gardens, or sharing a meal, but I prefered to wander the gardens alone, with Ser Slean by my side. 

 

As I wandered the gardens, I spotted Sansa, her beautiful auburn hair shining in the sunlight. 

 

“Lady Sansa!” 

 

“Lady Baratheon!” The young girl had a bright smile that lit up her whole face, I returned the smile as I caught up to her. She was alone, aside from two of her household guards. 

 

“How have you been, Sansa? How are you enjoying King’s Landing?” We had only been in Kings Landing for a day, but I was sure Sansa had enjoyed it, the South suited Sansa. 

 

“I’ve been wonderful! And King’s Landing is amazing! Prince Joffrey has been so kind to me. He’s so handsome and gallant!” My smile faltered, but I didn’t let her see it. If Joffrey was kind to her I would not speak out against him, but I knew he would not be kind to her for long. All the Lannisters had a nice facade, but if you lived amongst them long enough they showed their true selves.

 

“And the queen is so lovely. I’ve had my handmaidens style my hair so that it’s like hers!” Her hair looked lovely, and the style surely suited her much more than the styles of the North.

 

“The style looks lovely on you, sweetling. You were born to be a southern girl, weren’t you?” We walked along side a bed of roses, I lightly danced my fingers on the soft petals as we walked along and Sansa seemed to radiate happiness.

 

“And the gardens, oh the gardens. They’re beautiful, aren’t they, Lady Baratheon?” Sansa exclaimed as she took in the sight of every single one of the flowers. 

 

“They truly are. I love walking through them. I adore roses and Robert had rose bushes planted throughout the gardens, just to make me happy.” When I first came to Kings Landing, I was not happy at all, Storms End had been my home and Robert took me from my home to bring me to court, where I had been utterly out of place in the beginning. 

 

“Is King Robert a good brother, my lady?” Sansa asked, looking up at me. Sansa had not seen much of Robert, other than the night she lost her wolf. Robert surely meant the girl no ill will, but I was also sure he did not care much for the northern girl.

 

“He is. He can be difficult, like all brothers, but he is wonderful. As I said, he had rose bushes planted here to make me happy. He protects me, he’s protected me my whole life. And, if I asked him, he’d protect you as well. If Prince Joffrey or Queen Cersei ever bring any harm to you, or if they ever make you feel scared, you come tell me at once so that I can tell Robert. Do you understand?” I stopped walking by a bed of different colored tulips and lilies, we were close to the sea and there was a breeze coming from the water, it was nice and calming. I looked to Sansa as she stopped walking, I turned to face and she looked up at me, a concerned and confused look on her face. 

 

“I suppose so, Lady Baratheon.” She said, the same confused look on her face, but I simply gave her a bright smile, hooked my arm with hers and continued walking. 

 

“Good. Now, tell me, sweetling, when should we go buy you a dog?” Sansa brightened up, and she looked rather cheerful at the mention of getting her a puppy, she had been very distraught after losing her wolf. Though I could not bring her wolf back, I promised to buy her a puppy, and despite the multiple objections from Cersei and Septa Mordane, I planned to keep that promise. 

 

“Could we go next week? I want to find one that’s just like Lady.” She looked happy, but there was a hint of sadness in her eyes at the mention of Lady. 

 

“We can go whenever you want, sweetling. And I promise you that we’ll find you the sweetest dog in all of Westeros. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I must be on my way. Lovely to see you, Sansa.” I gave Sansa one last smile, and left her to wander the gardens. I headed to the Godswood.

 

It was bleak compared to the one in Winterfell, the old gods had little presence in the south, the heart trees could not thrive in the hot weather, and more time and care was put into the Great Sept of Baelor. But what little presence the old gods had here would be enough. 

 

“If you can hear me, if you’re listening, protect Sansa Stark. She is too good for this place.” I had prayed to the gods every chance I got, sometimes I asked the same thing. I could not protect the ones I care for and loved, but perhaps the gods could. 

 

It had been some time since I arrived at the Red Keep, and I figured Renly and Loras would be well away from each other now, and I could have alone time with my brother I had missed so much. 

 

The Keep was rather quiet, empty it would seem. There were guards posted at all the doors, some handmaids were walking the halls, but it was not loud nor busy, like it usually was. 

 

The first familiar face I saw was a face I had been hoping to avoid. Petyr Baelish. Petyr is no friend of mine, nor anyones, I had no love for him, but I did have the smallest amount of respect for him.

 

“Lady Baratheon, so lovely to see you back in the Red Keep.” Petyr was a man that was not born into power, he just so happened to make the right kind of friends along the way, and had power handed to him.

 

“Lord Baelish, it’s so...good to see you again. I had hoped you’d die while I was in Winterfell.” I smiled at him, he returned the smile, with a short laugh.

 

“It’s much more difficult to get rid of me, my lady.” He was holding his ledger, like he always ways. He looked rather stupid always carrying it around.

 

“A fact of which I am unpleasantly aware. Good day, Lord Baelish.” I gave him one last smirk and turned away from him. I walked the halls and steps that led to Renly’s chambers. My chamber’s were on the same hall, next to Renly’s.

 

In case Renly was still with Ser Loras, or he was not decent, I knocked. His door was thick wood, with golden studs on it with a golden stags head in the middle. 

 

“Renly, you had best be decent!” I shouted through door, and waited for his reply.

 

“I am, sister.”

 

I entered his room, it was extravagantly and brightly decorated. Myrish carpets covered the floors, and there were brilliant tapestries lining the walls. Renly’s bed was piled high with pillows, some had stitch work on them, and some were simply colored pillows. In the center of his bed he had the pillow I had made years ago for him, it was black with a stags head stitched in gold. It was messy and crude, but I had made it when I was young, and Renly had kept it since then. He had rich furs and blankets on his bed, he stepped of his bed and pulled me into a hug.

 

Renly’s hugs were the best, they were always warm and comforting. They made me feel like nothing could ever hurt me.

 

“I’ve missed you, Nissy.” Renly was the only one of my brothers I allowed to call me Nissy, he had always called me it, since we were younger. Growing up, he could never pronounce my name correctly, all he could say was Nissy.

 

“I certainly didn’t miss that name. You know you could have come to Winterfell. I’m sure you could bring Ser Loras.” Renly released me and gave me a smile, his smiles were kind and warm, like his hugs. 

 

“Why would I ever go to Winterfell? Far too cold for my tastes.” Renly chuckled, and poured me a glass of wine, as well as one for himself. 

 

“I suppose Highgarden suits you better.” I took a sip from my wine, it was Arbor Gold, Renly’s favorite, I myself prefered the Dornish Red, but wine was wine. I smirked at Renly when he gave me a confused look, but I could see he knew what I meant. 

“Renly, did you see the abomination that Lord Baelish is wearing? It was undoubtedly the most hideous thing I’ve ever seen. And that little mockingbird pin of his makes me want to hit him.” I said, sitting on the end of his bed, it was a lush feather bed. Renly took a seat beside me, wineglass in hand.

 

“Now, now, Nissy. What would Stannis say if he heard you say that?” Renly chuckled, he was the only one I ever gossiped with, or ever really had enjoyable conversations with. 

Robert was always snide with me, and Stannis always made remarks about how my behavior is unladylike, and that my behavior would not help me find a husband.

 

“Lord Baelish has been following Sansa Stark like a lost puppy ever since she arrived here. I think he’s noticed that she looks like her mother. It’s a bit sad, isn’t it, Nissy?” Renly asked, though I had not seen much of Petyr, other than the unpleasant meeting in the hall, and I had only seen Sansa in the gardens, but I imagined it was true, and nodded in response. 

 

“It is, brother. Now, I have a question for you.” I said, looking over at him, the smallest hint of a smirk on my face.

 

“What is it, Nissy?” He asked, sipping his wine.

 

“I heard from Lord Varys that you snuck away with Ser Loras. How are you two doing?” My small smirk turned to a full smirk when Renly gave me a rather confused look.

 

“I’ve not the slightest idea of what you’re talking about. Now, shut up and go to sleep.” He replied, trying to avoid the subject. Renly laid back on his pile of furs and blankets, and pulled down the pillow I had made him, and laid his head on it. 

Though it was not unlikely for Renly and I to sleep together. When we were younger I would sneak away to his chambers, or he would sneak away to my chambers. Both Robert and Stannis had tried to put an end to it, thinking it was childish. But we still did it, but I could not sleep yet. I still had lunch with Varys, and I have yet to have a visit with a handsome young man.

 

“I can’t sleep right now. I haven’t had a visit with a handsome young man today like you have. Perhaps if I can find a young man to spend some time with, I’ll join you for some sleep. Until then, I think I will be staying awake.” Renly opened his eyes, and looked down at me. 

Renly was the only one of my brothers I had told about me losing my maidenhood, Robert knew, he had yelled at me and lectured me for what seemed like hours, but he soon stopped caring about it. But Stannis, if he ever found out, would surely die. 

 

“You know that Stannis would die if he found out you’ve lost your maidenhood.” I snort in response, and step down from Renly’s bed. I finish my wine and set the empty glass on the table in front of his bed. 

 

“I suppose it’s a good thing that Stannis will never hear about it then, isn’t it?” I said looked back at Renly who had moved to sit back against his pile of pillows. 

 

“As long as you don’t irritate me, I won’t tell Stannis.” Renly replied, though clearly sarcastic as he would never reveal that to Stannis because it was something I had confided in him in secret. 

 

“If you tell Stannis about my maidenhood, I’ll tell him about Ser Loras.” I turned away before Renly could see my smirk, that would reveal I was joking.

 

“You wouldn’t.” I chuckled and turned back to face him, Renly narrowed his eyes at me, though I was sure he knew I was joking.

 

“I never would. You know I love you too much for that.” 

 

“Thank you, Anise.” He smiled at me, and I nodded at him. 

 

“Gods, you called me by my name. I think I might die from shock. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to find myself a nice man to spend some time with.” I walked to the side of his bed he was laying on, and gave him a kiss on the cheek, which he returned. 

 

“I recommend Littlefinger’s whorehouse. He’s got men there, and they are worth every gold coin, I promise.” Renly said before I left his chambers, my hand was on the door knob, but I turned to look back at him. 

 

“I thought you were faithful to Loras.”

 

“I am. These men were before him.” He said, giving me a knowing look, I knew Renly had shared a bed with many men before Ser Loras, as I have shared my bed with many men over the years.

 

“If you say so, brother.” I left Renly to his nap, when he was needed and he was not with Ser Loras, Renly was fond of taking naps in the middle of the day, and I often joined him. But today I had not shared a bed with a handsome young man yet, and I later, had lunch with Varys. 

 

I decided to have lunch with Lord Varys first, and head to my room. It was not far from Renly’s room. During my time with Renly many people had returned to the keep and were walking the halls. There were handmaids, squires, high born lords and ladies that stayed at court, I smiled and waved at the people I passed.

I was considering if I should visit Baelish’s whorehouse or not. It would be rather awkward if I were to see Baelish there, he’s the last person I want to see in a whorehouse.

 

I reach my room, I smile and nod at Ser Slean who is standing by my door, he gives me a kind smile and opens the door for me. I walk in my room, surprised to see Lord Varys is already here, he sat in his white and purple robes at the round table by my balcony.

 

“Lord Varys! I hadn’t expected you to arrive before me.” I said, a smile on my face as I took a seat across from him. 

 

“I am full of surprises, my lady. Shall we eat?” Varys replies, nodding at the food laid out on the table. It was a rather small and simple lunch, but nonetheless looked delicious. There was Dornish red wine, roasted aurochs with sweetgrass, strawberries, and bread, lemon cakes, a sweetgrass salad, and apples baked with cinnamon. 

 

While we ate Lord Varys told me all the latest gossip I had missed while at Winterfell. He told me of rumors about Prince Doran Martell, whom had been unwell for quiet awhile, but there had been reports he had began to feel a bit better. I had visited Dorne some years ago, being a royal guest, I had meet Prince Doran, and I was fond of him. He’s smart, and wise, and understanding. 

Varys also told me of tales of White Walkers beyond the Wall, there had been false reports of them for years, but never any proof. 

 

“One more thing, my lady. Ser Jorah Mormont has been spying on Daenerys Targaryen for the crown. He will receive a royal pardon for his duties.” Varys added, looking up at me. That was the thing that caught my attention, Robert had been rather obsessed with two Targaryen children across the narrow sea.

 

“What?! Why? Why does my brother believe that this Targaryen girl is such a threat? What has she done to warrant such attention?” I had began to shout, the negative attention the child was getting had been bothering me since the day Robert told Ned and I about her marriage to a Dothraki horselord. 

 

“Your brother believes she will turn her eyes to Westeros to reclaim her father’s throne.” Varys added, trying to calm me down and reason with me.

 

“A stupid worry. Robert is going too far. He needs to leave the girl be. She poses no threat to us. The Dothraki will never cross the Narrow Sea! They won’t go near water that the horses don’t drink. All that wine is going to Robert’s fat head.” I shout, and slam my hand down on the table. The day I worry about this Targaryen child, is the day they actually make it across the narrow sea, and when they bring a war to our doorstep. 

 

“Now, now, my lady. Be calm. It is not wise to shout insults at the king where people can hear them.” Varys said in a soft voice, he leaned across the table and lightly touched my hand, while he was trying to calm me down and sooth me, I realized he was being rather smart and reasonable. Varys had his own little spiders, but Cersei had her spies all through the keep, if they heard me insulting Robert she would be the first to know and tell Robert. I wouldn’t be seriously hurt, but I would get yelled at for insulting my king.

 

“It just angers me, Varys. The Targaryen girl has done nothing that deserves such treatment.” I said quietly, finaling calming down, I finished the wine remaining in my cup and poured myself another full glass. Ever since word of the two living Targaryen children I had been drinking nearly as much as Robert, the more I drank the more I forgot that the brother I love so much was trying to kill a child.

 

“I could not agree more, Lady Baratheon. But I must follow your brother’s orders.” He replied, as he sipped at his own wine, much slower than me, as I had gone through nearly five glasses.

 

“Wait, Jorah Mormont is reporting to you?” I had never meet Jorah Mormont, all I knew about him was that he was from Bear Island and that he was sent into exile by Ned for participating in the slave trade out of the Free Cities. 

 

“Who else would he report to, my lady?” For all I knew, he could’ve been one of Cersei’s nasty little spies, I wouldn’t put it past her. 

 

“Spying on that girl is disgusting, Varys.” Spying on the affairs of a harmless child was crude and rather obsessive. But Robert would never listen to me about it, there were bigger things happening within the seven kingdoms that demanded the attention he was giving to a child worlds away. 

 

“I know, my lady. I do wish that I didn’t have to.” He said simply nodding at me as he finished off his wine and ate another lemon cake. The lemon cakes were delicious, though I enjoyed pigeon pie more, they had been my favorite since I was a girl on Storms End. 

 

“It seems I’ve lost my appetite. I had best be on my way, Varys.” I stand up from my chair, adjusting my skirts and stepping towards the door. I stop right before I open the door and look back at Varys who was now standing up. I let my hand rest on the ornimated golden door knob while I addressed Varys. 

 

“Varys, stop addressing me as ‘my lady’ or ‘Lady Baratheon.’ Just call me Anise from now on.” Saying that to Varys, reminded much of the day when Jon Snow went to the Wall, and I told him to call me Anise. Most people at court, or small folk, called me m’lady or Lady Baratheon, and I had always prefered Anise more. 

 

Varys smiles and nods, I give him one last smile and I open the door, I nod at Ser Slean who stood on guard by my door. The news about Daenerys still nagged at me and I needed a distraction, I decided to face the possibility of seeing Littlefinger at his whorehouse.

 

Ser Slean drapes his cloak around my shoulders and I pull the hood up so no one would see me heading to a whorehouse. Ser Slean followed behind me, one hand rested on the hilt of his sword, he was rather protective of me, but I appreciated it. 

 

I enter the whorehouse, Ser Slean trailing behind me. Many women were bustling back and forth, in open robes or thin silk dresses, extravagant necklaces, rings and bracelets. There were men pulling the whores into rooms with them, and some men just pulled the women into their laps and fucked them right there. I saw a few Lannister men, and city guards, but the rest were other petty lords that stayed at court. 

 

But I saw no sign of Littlefinger, I felt relieved, as I knew if Littlefinger saw me here, he would surely spread word that I was at his whorehouse. 

 

I find a handsome young man, he had light blonde hair and bright blue eyes, he wasn’t dressed as extravagant as the women, but it didn’t matter as his clothes would soon be on the floor. I paid him handsomely for his silence, and his service.

 

We went in a private room, Ser Slean stood guard by the door, and I surely got the distraction I was needing to forget all about my problems.


End file.
